- Title: South Korea to cut COVID-19 booster shot interval again as infections rise
- Date: 10th December 2021
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FILE - OCTOBER 29, 2021) (REUTERS) SOUTH KOREAN RESIDENTS AT COVID-19 VACCINATION CENTRE WOMAN WALKING INTO VACCINATION BOOTH / STAFF CLOSING CURTAIN WOMAN SITTING IN VACCINATION BOOTH WOMAN GETTING VACCINATED SIGN READING (Korean): "PFIZER INOCULATION ROOM" / PEOPLE WALKING TOWARD VACCINATION BOOTH MAN GETTING VACCINATED PEOPLE WAITING AT COVID-19 VACCINATION CENTRE
- Embargoed: 24th December 2021 08:28
- Keywords: COVID-19 Omicron South Korea booster shot coronavirus healthcare system inoculation vaccines variants
- Location: SEJONG, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEJONG, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA003F7GDL53
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: South Korea will further cut the interval for coronavirus booster vaccines for all adults from four to five months to three, officials said on Friday (December 10), as it struggles to fight record levels of infections amid concerns over the Omicron variant.
The move came three weeks after the government reduced the booster gap for people aged 60 and older and primary groups to four months from six. The interval for all other adults had been five months.
South Korea has fully vaccinated almost 94% of its adults so far, and more than 31% of some 17 million eligible for a booster shot have received it.
But since distancing rules were eased last month under a 'living with COVID-19' scheme, the country has been grappling with spiralling numbers of new cases, putting heavy strains on its medical system. Total infections in country since the start of the pandemic have risen to 503,606 as of Thursday (December 9), with 4,130 deaths.
(Production: Yeni Seo, Hyunyoung Yi, Minwoo Park) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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