COVID-19 Vaccinations This Year: One Dose in Q4... Two Doses for Immunocompromised Patients

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The government has decided to conduct COVID-19 vaccinations once a year in the fourth quarter.

Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare (First Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for COVID-19), announced on the 22nd at a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held at the Government Seoul Office that the "2023 COVID-19 Vaccination Basic Direction" has been established with this content.

The vaccination target is the entire population, and the vaccination is free of charge. Vaccination is strongly recommended for high-risk groups such as those aged 65 and older, members of infection-vulnerable facilities, and immunocompromised individuals.

Considering the shorter duration of antibody persistence in immunocompromised individuals, they will receive vaccinations twice a year (in the 2nd and 4th quarters).

The government's additional winter vaccinations using updated vaccines, which have been conducted since October last year, will end on the 8th of next month.

Minister Cho said, "The achievement of preventing 143,000 deaths through vaccinations over the past two years was possible due to nationwide participation," and added, "I ask everyone to actively participate in vaccinations for yourself, your family, and your neighbors in the future as well."

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