Gangnam-gu Offers Free Shingles Vaccination for 3,500 Vulnerable Individuals

Gangnam-gu to Provide Free Shingles Vaccinations to 3,500 Vulnerable Individuals in the Second Half of This Year

From the 21st, vaccinations available at public health centers or 77 designated medical institutions for basic livelihood security recipients aged 65 and over

Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) will provide free shingles vaccinations starting from the 21st to 3,500 basic livelihood security recipients aged 65 and over.

According to statistics from the National Health Insurance Service, the number of shingles patients was approximately 720,000 in 2021, steadily increasing at an average annual rate of about 0.6%. In particular, patients aged 60 and over account for 42.3%, which is about 8 to 10 times higher than younger age groups. This is because cellular immunity against the varicella-zoster virus decreases with age.

On the other hand, those who receive the vaccination tend to experience milder symptoms even if they contract shingles, and the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia decreases by 66.5%. However, since the vaccination cost ranges from 150,000 KRW up to 600,000 KRW, many vulnerable groups such as basic livelihood security recipients have often postponed or given up on getting vaccinated.

In response, the district enacted the “Gangnam-gu Vaccination Support and Delegation Ordinance” in July to support the health management of vulnerable groups and secured an additional budget of 470 million KRW. The 3,500 people estimated as vaccination targets for the second half of this year represent 50% of the 6,900 basic livelihood security recipients aged 65 and over in Gangnam-gu. Starting next year, vaccinations will continue by including those turning 65 and those who have not yet been vaccinated.

The eligible individuals are basic livelihood security recipients aged 65 or older (born on or before December 31, 1958) residing in Gangnam-gu according to their resident registration. They can visit one of the 77 designated medical institutions within Gangnam-gu with their ID to receive the vaccination. Nearby medical institutions can be checked on the public health center’s website. Additionally, vaccinations are available at the Gangnam-gu Public Health Center on Wednesdays and Fridays, so individuals should check the available times before visiting.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, said, “As we enter the era of 100-year lifespans, healthy aging has become more important. I hope this vaccination program will help manage the health of vulnerable groups.” He added, “We will continue to carefully identify and support areas lacking in improving the quality of life for elderly people in vulnerable groups.”

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