Reservation for second-dose vaccines starts tomorrow... BA.4/5-based vaccines available from the 14th

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] Starting from the 7th, booster vaccinations with the Omicron variant-adapted bivalent vaccines will begin for those aged 18 and older.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team on the 6th, from the next day, adults aged 18 and older who have completed the first and second primary doses can make reservations for Moderna's BA.1-based bivalent vaccine and Pfizer's BA.1-based bivalent vaccine.

However, Pfizer's BA.4/5-based bivalent vaccine will be available for reservation and same-day vaccination starting from the 14th. Pfizer's BA.4/5-based bivalent vaccine received emergency use authorization from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 17th of last month, and the initial supply (approximately 1.18 million doses) was imported through Incheon International Airport on the 3rd, causing its schedule to be later than other bivalent vaccines.

Same-day vaccinations for Moderna's BA.1-based vaccine began simultaneously with advance reservations on the 27th of last month. Pfizer's BA.1-based vaccine will be available for reservation and same-day vaccination starting on the 7th. The interval between vaccinations is 4 months (120 days) after the last vaccination or confirmed infection date.

For those who cannot or do not wish to receive the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines from Moderna or Pfizer, recombinant protein vaccines such as Novavax and Skycovione will also be used for winter vaccinations. Recombinant protein vaccines have been available for same-day vaccination since the 27th of last month, and reservations can be made starting from the 7th. Advance reservations for BA.1-based vaccines, BA.4/5-based vaccines, and recombinant protein vaccines have been available since the 27th of last month.

Advance reservations can be made through the reservation system for vaccination appointments, the 1339 call center, or by visiting community centers. Elderly individuals who have difficulty using online services can have family members make proxy reservations. Same-day vaccinations are also possible by utilizing medical institutions' standby lists and leftover vaccine reservation services through Naver and Kakao.

As experts anticipate the possibility of 200,000 confirmed cases during the winter season, health authorities have urged participation in vaccination. In the fourth week of October (23rd?29th), the weekly COVID-19 risk level rose from ‘low’ to ‘medium’ nationwide, in the metropolitan area, and in non-metropolitan areas for the first time in six weeks. The effective reproduction number (Rt) increased from 1.09 the previous week to 1.17, showing a value above 1 for two consecutive weeks (indicating epidemic spread).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.