The government has lowered the age limit for those who can receive AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine to 30.
The Special Immunization Committee said it maintains the recommended age for AZ vaccination at 50 years of age or older but decided to also provide the vaccine to those aged between 30 and 49 who wish to receive the vaccine.
People under 50 who have received AZ's vaccine are currently receiving the Pfizer vaccine as the second dose. Those under 50 who wish to receive the residual vaccine will also receive a Pfizer vaccine, but they will now be able to select AstraZeneca's vaccine as well.
In the case of receiving the first dose with AstraZeneca's vaccine, the reservation date for the second dose is set after eight weeks of receiving the first jab. However, the government said it might adjust the second inoculation date within four to 12 weeks if there are special circumstances.
Initially, health officials restricted the use of the AZ vaccine to those over 50 years of age due to concerns about the occurrence of thrombocytopenic thrombosis (TTS) in younger groups. However, they seem to have changed their age limit upon media reports that hospitals are discarding AZ jabs even though the supply of the Covid-19 vaccine is unstable.
The fourth viral wave has been raging across the country despite the government’s toughest distancing measures for more than a month. On the other hand, the government's vaccination program falters due to difficulties securing vaccines on time.
The vaccine shortage has aggravated since Moderna notified the government that it would cut the supply of 8.5 million doses of its vaccine planned for August to less than half of that.
On Friday, a government delegation left for the U.S. to discuss ways to resolve a delayed supply from the U.S. vaccine maker.
Since the country launched its vaccination program in late February, about 21.98 million people, or 42.8 percent of the population, have received their first shots of Covid-19 vaccines.
The country aims to administer at least one shot to 36 million people, or 70 percent of its population, by September with hopes of reaching herd immunity in November.
Meanwhile, the government announced that it has signed a contract with Pfizer to purchase an additional 30 million doses of the vaccine needed for next year's Covid-19 vaccination.
"We signed a contract with Pfizer Korea to purchase 30 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine and an option to purchase another 30 million jabs if needed to prepare to vaccinate people in 2022," Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Commissioner Jung Eun-kyeong said. "The government will supply the confirmed 30 million doses sequentially from the first quarter of next year."
On Friday, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed 1,990 Covid-19 cases, including 1,913 local infections, raising the total caseload to 220,182.
The figure was up three from 1,987 reported on Thursday. Six more people died from the virus, raising the death toll to 2,144 with a fatality rate of 0.97 percent.
Due to no sign of a letdown in virus cases, the government urged citizens to stay home during the National Liberation Day holiday from Saturday to Monday to contain the fast spread of the virus.
"We earnestly ask citizens to refrain from gatherings and travel and stay at home with their families so that this holiday can be a turning point in overcoming the crisis and not another spread of Covid-19 virus," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said.
The health authorities have also begun to review more enhanced measures to control the spread of the virus ahead of the second semester at schools later this month.