[A summarized unofficial version of the press release]

Over 1 Million People Get Vaccinated within 7 days

After COVID-19 Vaccination Program Kicks off

Under the 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccination Program, the vaccination coverage of high-risk groups is over four times higher compared to the same period of last year.

Osong, 26^th October 2023 – The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) began COVID-19 vaccination for high-risk groups including people aged 65 and older from October 19 under the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccination program that was announced on September 26.

On October 25, the 7^th day of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, a total of 1,056,292 people aged 65 and older were vaccinated, representing 10.8% of high-risk groups. This figure is over four times higher than the same period of last year (2.7%).

*The accumulated number of vaccinated people aged 65 and older on the 7th day of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign during last year's winter season (people): 254,242

【COVID-19 vaccination coverage during the 2023-2024 season, compared with coverage during the 2022 winter season (people aged over 65)】 (unit: %)

In addition, 43.8% of people aged 65 and older got both a COVID-19 vaccine and an influenza vaccine at the same visit, and the figure reached a whopping 80.1% among people aged between 65 and 69 as they were due for both vaccines on the same starting day (October 19) in line with the vaccination schedule for COVID-19 and influenza.

The KDCA cited three measures that have contributed to high COVID-19 vaccination coverage of high-risk groups:

1) Addressing high-risk groups’ fatigue about COVID-19 vaccination due to repeated vaccination by switching to a once-a-year vaccination from this year

2) Ensuring that eligible people can get a COVID-19 vaccination without an appointment at walk-in COVID-19 vaccination sites

3) Recommending that people receive a COVID-19 vaccine and an influenza vaccine at the same time

Meanwhile, out of 7,348 COVID-19 newly confirmed cases during the week 3 of October, the proportion of cases aged 65 and older is 30.5% (2,241 cases). As the figure shows the infection of high-risk groups remains still high, the KDCA advised the public to keep vigilant about COVID-19 infection.

*The number of COVID-19 positive cases aged over 65 (case): 2,530 (week 1 of October 2023) → 2,308 (week 2) → 2,241 (week 3)

**The proportion of COVID-19 positive cases aged over 65 (%): 29.3 (week 1 of October 2023) → 30.6 (week 2) → 30.5 (week 3)

The KDCA recommended that the public get the latest vaccines on time to protect high-risk groups from severe illness and death as immunity wanes with time after previous infection with COVID-19. It is reported that the updated vaccines that are currently administered in Korea are fully effective against EG.5 variants, which is currently dominant strain (representing 44.1% of sequences for the week 3 of October 2023). 

*A recent clinical study shows that Moderna's updated monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccines increased neutralizing antibody levels by 10-fold against XBB.1.5. and by 11-fold against EG.5.1. (Source: Moderna, Inc.).

KDCA commissioner Youngmee Jee said, “I would like to request that the elderly get free updated vaccines. The vaccination lowers the risk of hospitalization and death if you get infected with COVID-19 in the event of resurgence of COVID-19 during the winter season.”

* For detailed information, please refer to the press release written in the Korean language in the file attached below.