Vaccine Incentives Coming for Those Inoculated with Chinese Vaccines Overseas

In this file photo taken on April 21, 2021, health workers guide arrivals at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Individuals who have been inoculated with Chinese COVID-19 vaccines in overseas countries will soon be eligible for vaccine incentives in South Korea.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced on Tuesday that it was briefed by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency about how to improve the issuance of vaccination certificates for those who are vaccinated in overseas countries.

Thus far, those who acquire quarantine exemption certificates after having been vaccinated in overseas countries have been exempted from quarantine upon entering South Korea.

However, they were not exempted from domestic disinfection measures such as social distancing restrictions, primarily due to the difficulty in verifying personal vaccination records.

Against this backdrop, the Central Disease Control Headquarters made it possible for the personal vaccination record of those who are vaccinated with China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines abroad to have their status verified through the public health center’s preventive vaccination system and mobile app starting from Thursday.

The issuance of paper or electronic vaccination certificates will also become possible. When using such certificates, those who are vaccinated with Chinese vaccines in overseas countries will be able to receive vaccine incentives equivalent to those enjoyed by domestically vaccinated individuals.

J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)