DETAILED PLANS ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

[Anchor Lead]

South Korea reported 457 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, climbing back to the 400 range after three days. Meanwhile the government has announced detailed plans on COVID-19 vaccinations which are to begin on February 26. The AstraZeneca vaccine will be first administered to residents and workers at senior care hospitals and facilities, who are under the age 65. The government has for now withheld inoculations for seniors 65 and older.

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The first round of vaccinations using the AstraZeneca vaccine will begin on February 26. Some 272-thousand nursing home residents and employees will be the first to receive the shots. But there's an age cap, only those who are under 65 are eligible. Authorities have taken into consideration the controversy over the AstraZeneca vaccine's efficacy among older people.

[Soundbite] Jung Eun-kyeong(KDCA Director) : "Disputed efficacy among older people can negatively affect how the public and healthcare workers accept the vaccine and thereby reduce the vaccination rate."

Vaccinations on senior care facility staff and residents will continue through May. Facilities with resident doctors will handle the roll out on their own but for other cases, medical staff will visit individual nursing homes to provide the jabs. But in some cases depending on circumstances, vaccinations will be possible at community health centers. The next round of vaccines will be rolled out in March for around 350- thousand healthcare workers at high-risk medical institutions including general hospitals. These vaccinations will take place at respective hospitals and will be divided into two phases with the second phase starting in May. Around 78-thousand other front-line COVID-19 workers such as quarantine officers will be next in order to get their jabs from some time next month. They can individually visit local health clinics. Meanwhile the Pfizer vaccine which will be introduced through the COVAX Facility global procurement program will be delivered directly to infectious disease hospitals where COVID-19 patients are being treated. The direct supply is aimed at minimizing any vacuum in the handling of patients. Some 55-thousand hospital employees will receive the Pfizer vaccine. But a concrete timetable is not yet determined.

[Soundbite] Jung Eun-kyeong(KDCA Director) : "Coordination is under way to have the Pfizer vaccine arrive in late Feb. or early Mar. We'll announce the timetable as soon as it's finalized."

Authorities will continue to conduct mock drills at the central vaccination center while similar rehearsals will also begin at nursing hospitals and senior care facilities from Wednesday.