This image, taken on Aug. 13, 2021, shows leftover vaccine doses on maps operated by Kakao Talk (L) and Naver. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea on Friday allowed administration of leftover AstraZenenca COVID-19 vaccine doses to people aged 30 and over amid concerns over unused vaccines being wasted, health authorities said.
The country had so far only allowed vaccines manufactured by British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University to people aged 50 and older, following concerns over blood clots.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said adults aged 30 and older can receive AstraZeneca vaccines that are left over after people do not show up for appointments.
The decision came after many AstraZeneca doses were recently discarded because eligible people did not show up for the appointments.
Since the country launched its vaccination program in late February, a total of 21.98 million people, or 42.8 percent of the country’s 51.34 million population, have received their first shots.
Around 17.4 percent, or 8.93 million people, have been fully vaccinated, according to the KDCA.
The country aims to administer at least one shot to 36 million people, or 70 percent of its population, by September with hopes of reaching herd immunity in November.
(Yonhap)
