SEOUL – South Korean President Moon Jae-in received his first dose of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine today, as he plans to attend a Group of Seven (G7) summit to be held in Britain.
He received the shot at the Jongno-gu public health centre near the presidential compound here, along with first lady Kim Jung Sook and nine Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) officials to accompany them on a trip to Britain in June.
The G7 session is scheduled to take place in the seaside resort of Carbis Bay in Cornwall from June 11-13, reports the Yonhap news agency.
South Korea began the AstraZeneca vaccination programme for those aged 65 and older today following a delay attributable to concerns about its safety.
Local health authorities stated the previous day that they have found no evidence suggesting a correlation between the vaccine and reports of blood clots.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has drawn up a priority list of vaccine takers. It allowed an exception for Moon, 68; the 66-year-old first lady; and, the Cheong Wa Dae officials, including Suh Hoon, director of national security, for the early inoculation in consideration of diplomacy-related urgency.
The AstraZeneca vaccine requires two shots with an interval of eight to 12 weeks. – Bernama, March 23, 2021