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| People are observed for possible side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine shot at a center in Seodaemun District, Seoul, Sept. 9. Yonhap |
By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea is expected to reach its goal of inoculating 70 percent of its population with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of this week, according to the health authorities.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said over 33 million people or 64.5 percent of Korea's 52 million population have received at least one dose of the vaccine as of Saturday.
At this pace, the government said it will be able to accomplish its target of inoculating 70 percent of the population with their first dose before the extended Chuseok weekend, which runs from Sept.17 to 22.
According to Our World in Data, the country's first dose vaccination rate at 64 percent is higher than that of Japan and the United States, which stood at 62 percent.
Korea's vaccination rate has been falling behind other countries due to supply shortages and shipment delays amid continuing global competition to secure the vaccines.
Meanwhile, the rate of fully vaccinated people here remains relatively low compared to other countries. It stood at 39 percent, lower than that of Japan and the U.S., which stood at 50 percent and 53 percent, respectively.
The health authorities plan to implement various measures to speed up inoculation of the second doses, such as allowing the use of leftover doses for second shots. The government may also shorten the dosage interval of mRNA-based vaccines from the current six weeks to four weeks.
