RESERVATIONS OPEN FOR 4TH VACCINE

[Anchor Lead]

COVID-19 is definitely surging again as the number of new cases climbed beyond 40,000 over the weekend. Starting today reservations for the fourth vaccine dose are open for individuals 50 or older.

[Pkg]

Starting Monday, individuals born between 1963 and 1972 can make reservations for the fourth vaccine dose.

[Soundbite] Han Duk-soo(Prime Minister) : "I strongly recommend those eligible to complete their vaccination quickly."

But people in their 50s still have concerns.

[Soundbite] (50-something Eligible for Vaccine) : "I do plan to get vaccinated, but I'm still concerned because there is very little information on which vaccine is effective and how immunity is formed."

Given the vaccines' effectiveness in preventing critical conditions and deaths, experts advise those in their 50s with at least one underlying disease to get the shots.

[Soundbite] Jung Ki-seok(Advisory Panel on Infectious Diseases(July 17, KBS Sunday Diagnosis)) : "I recommend vaccination for anyone taking medication for chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes."

Individuals eligible for the fourth vaccine dose include those 50 or older, those 18 or older with existing conditions, and residents of homeless shelters. They can make reservations and start getting shots from August 1st. They can even get vaccinated from Monday if they reserve leftover vaccines. The daily virus tally remained above 40,000 for two straight days over the weekend. The number of cases occurring in the high-risk group of people 60 or older rose to 15% of the total. The disease is clearly spreading again but only a few screening centers were open for testing over the weekend. Pulmonary disease centers where symptomatic people can get tested and treated are oftentimes closed on weekends and there are now fewer screening centers administering PCR tests.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Woo-joo(Korea Univ. Guro Hospital(July 12)) : "It doesn't hurt people's daily lives to extend testing. They could just reopen the centers that were open before."

More screening centers should be opened now that extensive testing and diagnosis are desperately needed.