Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

SKorea targets COVID-19 vaccines for quarter of population by June

by REUTERS

Seoul Mar 15, 2021 - 11:05 am GMT+3
Health and Welfare Minister Kwon Deok-cheol speaks during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters about measures against the spread of the coronavirus at the government complex in Sejong, South Korea, March 15, 2021.  (EPA)
Health and Welfare Minister Kwon Deok-cheol speaks during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters about measures against the spread of the coronavirus at the government complex in Sejong, South Korea, March 15, 2021. (EPA)
by REUTERS Mar 15, 2021 11:05 am

South Korea aims to vaccinate 12 million people from April to June, which will mean a quarter of its population, with its expanded campaign. The country plans to prioritize elderly citizens and health workers.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the prioritized groups in the expanded campaign include citizens aged 65 or above, and the front line professionals such as health care workers, police, fire officials, soldiers and flight attendants,

South Korea began inoculating high-risk medical workers and the critically ill at the end of February as it battles a third wave of COVID-19 and seeks to achieve herd immunity by November.

"Our primary goal is to vaccinate up to 12 million people within the first half of this year," KDCA director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing.

"We're seeking to focus on protecting high-risk groups while preventing schools and care places from infection and inoculating more health and medical workers and those who play an essential role in society."

Nearly 18 million doses of vaccines will arrive in South Korea by June, on top of the nearly 1.7 million doses that already came into the country last month, Jeong said.

But health authorities have cut their first quarter inoculation target by more than 40% to around 750,000 after delaying the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine on people aged 65 and older last month, citing a lack of clinical trial data. South Korea authorized the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for the age group last week.

More than 95% of the nearly 590,000 who were inoculated as of midnight on Sunday have received the AstraZeneca vaccine and the remainder the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, KDCA data showed.

The government has secured enough supplies to cover 79 million people. It has procured COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Novavax, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and the COVAX global distribution scheme.

The KDCA reported 382 new cases as of Sunday, raising the total caseload to 96,017, with 1,675 deaths.

On the other hand, South Korea's most populous province has ordered all of its foreign workers to be tested for COVID-19 by March 22, sparking complaints of long lines and logistical problems, as well as of implicit xenophobia in government messaging.

Last week, Gyeonggi province issued a sweeping administrative order mandating all international workers be tested after at least 275 foreigners tested positive, many in outbreaks at manufacturing plants.

The province said the order covers roughly 85,000 registered foreigners as well as an unknown number of possibly undocumented workers, while those who don't comply could face fines of up to 3 million won ($2,640).

Social media lit up with complaints from foreign residents: poor communication by the government, hourslong waits at testing centers where it was difficult to maintain distancing, and other challenges. At one center in the city of Ansan on Monday, hundreds of people were lined up in a line that stretched for around 100 meters (325 feet).

As of Sunday, 120,310 foreigners had been tested, with 120 testing positive, a provincial official told Reuters.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Mar 15, 2021 1:58 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    coronavirus outbreak coronavirus vaccine vaccination south korea
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    An amateur photographer Vincent Cornelissen captures a bean goose flying upside down. (Photo from Instagram @b0unce1971)

    It is showing off: Photographer captures goose flying upside down

    ANIMALS-ARCHIVES
    Parts of the newly completed last section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, Istanbul, Turkey, May 19, 2021. (DHA Photo)

    Turkey raises speed limits on highways starting from July

    SPEED-LIMIT

    Türkiye registers better-than-expected current account gap

    current-account-balance

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    Fall vibes in 'Cappadocia' of Turkey's Konya
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021