More than 13 million S. Koreans have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

The rate of confirmed cases among people 75 and over has fallen by 85% to 2.3 cases per 100,000

People aged 75 and above receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Monday at a vaccination center set up in Gwangju Buk (North) District. (Yonhap News)

The prevention effects of COVID-19 vaccinations are becoming visible in South Korea, with a steep drop in the number of confirmed cases among adults aged 75 and over, 90% of whom have received their first dose, an analysis shows.

The cumulative total of South Koreans who have received at least a first dose passed 13 million on Tuesday, which means that the government’s initial target for the first half of 2021 has been reached two weeks ahead of schedule. Smooth sailing is now expected toward achieving the adjusted vaccination target of “13 million plus alpha.”

“A prevention effect has been demonstrated with a clear trend of decline [in confirmed COVID-19 cases] among older adults aged 75 and over as their vaccination rate has risen,” explained Lee Sang-won, head of the epidemiological analysis team for the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH), in a regular briefing Tuesday.

According to the CDCH, the rate of confirmed cases among adults 75 and over had fallen to 2.3 per 100,000 as of the second week of June (June 6 to 12). This represents a drop of 85% in the space of roughly half a year since the fifth week of December 2020, when the rate stood at 15.8 per 100,000 at the height of the pandemic’s third wave.

Members of this age group first began receiving vaccinations on Feb. 26. By last week, 90% had been administered at least a first dose.

The number of confirmed cases per 100,000 persons has been declining more or less consistently from its rate of 7.9 during the third week of April, from April 18 to 24.

Lee said, “With this decline in patients among the older population, which exhibits a high mortality rate, we’re anticipating a continued decline in the overall mortality rate as well.”

Indeed, the number of weekly COVID-19 deaths has been dropping since reaching 149 during the fifth week of December, with totals of 18 during the third week of April and 11 during the second week of June.

The COVID-19 vaccination response team announced Tuesday that a total of 13,000,497 people had received at least a first dose of a vaccine as of 2:30 that afternoon. This means that approximately one in four South Koreans has been administered a first or second dose.

The South Korean government initially set a target of administering first doses of vaccines to 13 million people through June 2021. That target was adjusted to “13 million plus alpha” due to additional administration of Janssen vaccines provided by the US.

A total of 374 new confirmed cases were reported Tuesday, marking a second straight day in the 300-400 range. According to the CDCH, the number of new domestic cases confirmed the day before totaled 347, with another 27 cases involving international travelers.

This brought the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea to 148,647. Among the 347 domestic cases confirmed Monday, 257 were in the greater Seoul area, with 128 in Seoul, 118 in Gyeonggi Province and 11 in Incheon.

Outside of the greater Seoul area, 16 new cases were confirmed in Daegu; 14 each in North Chungcheong Province and Daejeon; seven in Sejong; six each in Busan, South Chungcheong Province and Jeju Province; four each in Ulsan and North Jeolla Province; three each in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province; and two each in Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province.

Among the 27 imported cases, nine were confirmed during airport screening procedures, while 18 tested positive while in quarantine. Fourteen of the patients were South Korean nationals, while 13 were foreign nationals.

The number of COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in isolation fell by 341 to 6,922. The number of severe or critical cases rose by five to 158. An additional four deaths were recorded, bringing the cumulative death toll to 1,992.

By Seo Hye-mi, staff reporter

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