[백신 Q&A]Free vaccination for healthy adults from July… Excluding minors and pregnant women

© News1-Healthy adults aged 19 to 64 will be vaccinated against the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) from July (3rd quarter). It is a method of specifying the vaccination date through advance reservation after guiding the vaccination targets by period.

If you have a fever on the date of vaccination or if you are unable to get the vaccine due to personal reasons, it is pushed back to the top of the vaccination ranking. However, if you miss the timing of the last two vaccinations after one vaccination, you only need to take an additional vaccination.

If you need to leave the country urgently for the purpose of essential public affairs or important economic activities, the vaccination is expected to be given within the second quarter of this year even if you are not eligible for priority vaccination. It is a so-called’vaccine passport’.

The Corona 19 vaccine will be introduced to Korea sequentially from February. AstraZeneca will be introduced in stages from the first quarter, Janssen and Moderna from the second quarter, and Pfizer from the third quarter, but plans to accelerate the introduction period in consultation with the pharmaceutical company. AstraZeneca is expected to supply 1.5 million doses first after being approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and national shipment approval in February. AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines will be supplied through the COVAX facility, a vaccine joint purchase alliance. By the end of January, the specific type, quantity, and timing of COVAX vaccine will be confirmed and notified. The following are questions and answers from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for the Corona 19 vaccine.

-When can the general adult be vaccinated?

▶ Healthy adults aged 19 to 64 can receive the Corona 19 vaccination through advance reservation from the third quarter of this year (July to September). The quarantine authorities inform the targets for vaccination by period and then receive reservations. The vaccination target can designate the date of vaccination through advance reservation.

-Who is the domestic Corona 19 vaccination target, and why are children and pregnant women unable to get the vaccine?

▶ All citizens are eligible for the Corona 19 vaccination. However, pregnant women and children and adolescents under the age of 18 who were not included in the vaccine clinical trial were excluded from the priority vaccination. However, if clinical results are added, they can be included in the vaccination target.

-If I miss the vaccination time, will the order be delayed?

▶After reservation, if you have sudden symptoms such as fever of 37.5 degrees or higher on the day of vaccination, you can adjust the reservation date. However, if vaccination is not scheduled by the deadline due to the refusal of vaccination, the vaccination ranking will be subordinated.

-Can the vaccination sequence be accelerated for important public affairs and business?

▶ When urgent departure is required for essential public affairs or important economic activities, vaccination is expected to be available during the second quarter of this year even if you are not eligible for priority vaccination. There is a situation in which “vaccine passports” for public affairs and business activities are mentioned worldwide. In Korea, diplomatic and economic exchanges with foreign countries are essential. The government will issue vaccination certificates in both Korean and English when vaccination is completed. It has not been determined how to use the vaccination certificate at the international organization level. In the future, it cannot be ruled out that immigrants who have completed vaccination will be exempted from self-isolation, etc. after entering Korea.

-What is the reason the vaccination target is 70% instead of 100%?

▶ Vaccination is an individual’s voluntary choice. However, in order to form collective immunity and block the spread of the community, it is necessary to achieve a 70% vaccination rate (all citizens).

-What is the reason why the people cannot choose a vaccine?

▶ In order to safely vaccinate as many citizens as possible as soon as possible, vaccinations should be performed according to the order of vaccination, not the type. This will minimize confusion at the vaccination site. Other countries that have begun vaccination, such as the United States and Europe, do not recognize individual vaccination options.

-The vaccine side effect problem has not been completely resolved.

▶ The Korea Disease Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyung cited’Anaphylactic shock’ as the most worrisome side effect of the vaccine. Anaphylaxis, a type of allergic hypersensitivity reaction, is one of the representative vaccine adverse reactions. Systemic reactions such as shortness of breath and loss of consciousness occur due to excessive antigen-antibody reactions. Adverse reactions usually appear shortly after vaccination. It has been reported that 11 people per 1 million people with the Phai vaccine and 2.5 people per 1 million people with the Modena vaccine showed anaphylactic reactions. To prevent this, the government plans to conduct thorough precautions and observe adverse reactions for 15 to 30 minutes after vaccination.

-Can I get the Corona 19 vaccination for free?

▶ Full support is provided free of charge to improve vaccination rates and form group immunity.

-People with chronic underlying diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes are also vaccinated.

▶Since people with chronic diseases are included in the recommendation for priority vaccination, it is recommended that they receive vaccination as much as possible.

-Does the government decide on the type, location, and timing of vaccines to be vaccinated for each individual?

▶ As vaccines enter the country sequentially, target groups to be vaccinated are determined.

-If the 2nd vaccination is delayed, should I get it twice again?

▶If the second vaccination is delayed, it should be vaccination as soon as possible. However, even if the second vaccination is delayed, there is no need to do the first vaccination again.

-Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines at the same time?

▶Since data on the safety and efficacy of the Corona 19 vaccine are insufficient, it is recommended to inoculate alone.

-How long will it take for immunity to develop after vaccination?

▶ In general, it takes about 2 weeks to form protective antibodies after vaccination. According to the data released so far, it is reported that the antibody is highest 7 to 14 days after the second dose of the Corona 19 vaccine. It is important to complete the 2nd vaccination within the recommended period for each vaccine for maximum vaccine effectiveness. Long-term immunity effects are being studied.

-Will you get Corona 19 even if you get a vaccine?

▶ 100% immunity is not formed by vaccination. If immunity is not formed after vaccination, and the immune effect formed over time decreases, you may be infected with Corona 19. Even if you are vaccinated, you should always follow quarantine rules such as wearing a mask, washing your hands, and keeping your distance away.


(Seoul = News 1)