GOV’T ON RECOMMENDING 3RD & 4TH SHOTS

[Anchor Lead]

Korea added 205,333 new COVID-19 cases as of midnight on Friday. Daily cases have stayed below 300,000 for the fourth consecutive day. Health authorities are considering providing third vaccine shots to those who have recovered from COVID-19 as well.

[Pkg]

The number of local infections in South Korea now accounts for almost 30 percent of the population. The government is considering providing the third vaccine dose to those who have recovered from COVID-19 and obtained natural immunity. So far, authorities have recommended the second dose to those who contracted the virus in an unvaccinated state. But now they are considering recommending the third dose as well. Natural immunity wanes as time goes by. The measure is aimed at preparing for a new wave of infections after this fall.

[Soundbite] Prof. Eom Joong-sik(Gachon Univ.) : "Various studies suggest those who contracted the virus in an unvaccinated state are not well protected from new virus variants. The government believes they should be fully immunized."

Authorities are considering expanding eligibility for the fourth vaccine dose to seniors. Currently, only the immunocompromised and nursing hospital patients are eligible. The goal of the fourth vaccine dose in seniors is to prevent serious illness and death rather than blocking infections. European nations recommend the fourth dose to seniors 80 and older. The U.S. provides the fourth shot even to people older than 50. Authorities will reach a conclusion after taking into consideration the results of a study that says the fourth vaccine dose has a short-lived virus prevention effect in seniors. Although the overall daily virus tally is declining in the nation, infections are rampant among children, with every other child 10 and younger being infected.