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2 nurses test positive for COVID-19 after Pfizer vaccine shots

Medical workers treating novel coronavirus patients started receiving the first batch of vaccines developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in South Korea, Feb. 27, one day after the country kicked off a free vaccination campaign. YonhapTwo nurses working at a hospital in Seoul have tested positive for the new coronavirus after receiving their first doses of Pfizer vaccine shots last week, officials said Sunday.Chung Ki-hyun, head of the National Medical Center where the nurses work, said the test results are not related to the vaccine administeration as it takes at least two weeks for antibodies to be formed after vaccination.The first nurse working at a ward for mild COVID-19 patients tested positive Saturday after experiencing fever the previous day. The nurse received the first vaccine jab on Feb. 28. The center tested some 40 others who work at the ward and found that another nurse was infected with the virus. The second nurse had the vaccine shot on the same day as the first nurse. "Even in the process of receiving the vaccine shots, we can't help but contract COVID-19 when

Mar 7, 2021
2 nurses test positive for COVID-19 after Pfizer vaccine shots

Korea conducts anti-virus inspections of workplaces with foreign employees

People wait in line to receive new coronavirus tests at a temporary testing site set up in front of Seoul Station in central Seoul, March 7. South Korea reported 416 more COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload to 92,471.  YonhapThe government has launched a nationwide inspection of manufacturing workplaces with foreign employees to check if they are properly following the anti-virus guidelines amid a series of cluster infections reported at such facilities, officials said Sunday. On Thursday, the Ministry of Employment and Labor began the inspection on some 12,000 workplaces of manufacturing businesses that employ five or more foreigners and operate a dormitory for the workers, according to health authorities. Of them, 1,600 places that have been identified as high-risk facilities will undergo tests to check for the presence of COVID-19. If the virus is found, workers at the facility will also have to be tested, they said. The inspection will focus on checking if efforts are made to prevent the spread of the virus, such as wearing face masks, regularly ventilating the air an

Mar 7, 2021
Korea conducts anti-virus inspections of workplaces with foreign employees

New virus cases above 400 for 2nd day

A man wearing a mask as a precaution against the coronavirus walks near a banner at a park in Seoul, Friday, March 5, 2021. APSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed above 400 for a second straight day on Sunday on continued cluster infections.The country reported 416 more COVID-19 cases, including 399 local infections, raising the total caseload to 92,471, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.New virus cases show no signs of letup due to sporadic cluster infections and an increasing number of travelers amid warm weather. Daily infections bounced back to 418 on Saturday after reporting 398 on Friday and 424 on Thursday.The country added two more deaths from COVID-19, raising the total to 1,634. The fatality rate was 1.77 percent, the KDCA said. South Korea reported record-high daily infections of 1,241 on Christmas last year, with the figure gradually falling since with some ups and downs.The number, however, has stayed stagnant recently at around 300 and 400, as cluster infections from workplaces and hospitals have lingered.Authorities remain vigilant

Mar 7, 2021
New virus cases above 400 for 2nd day

New virus cases over 400

Visitors wearing face masks as a precaution against COVID-19 walk past a section of a public park in Seoul taped off with a sign that reads "Access restricted to prevent the spread of COVID-19," March 4. APDaily new COVID-19 cases here hovered above 400 for Friday, as sporadic infection clusters showed no signs of a letup and the rising number of travelers amid the warm weather is raising worries about another uptick in infections.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 418 more coronavirus cases, including 404 local ones, raising the total caseload to 92,055.The number was slightly up from the 398 reported for Thursday, but down from 424 tallied the previous day.Five more patients died from COVID-19, raising the total to 1,632 for a fatality rate of 1.77 percent.Since reporting a record daily-high 1,241 infections on Dec. 25 last year, the country has seen the figure gradually fall with some ups and downs.The number, however, has stayed stagnant recently at around 300 and 400, as infection clusters at workplaces and hospitals have lingered.The authorities are

Mar 6, 2021
New virus cases over 400

Seoul encourages foreign residents to take COVID-19 tests

A man gets a COVID-19 testing at a makeshift testing site near Seoul Station, Tuesday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to encourage foreign residents to get tested for COVID-19, as part of the city's efforts to contain the spread of the virus in the capital area.The city announced a set a measures, Friday, to strengthen monitoring at workplaces involving foreign workers and to encourage some 240,000 expatriates in the greater Seoul area to undergo preemptive virus testing.The preventive measure follows infection clusters detected recently among foreign workers in Dongducheon and Namyangju in Gyeonggi Province.Foreign residents in Seoul will be able to be tested free of charge and living expenses will be offered for those placed under self-quarantine. Undocumented foreigners will be able to be tested without the risk of being arrested or deported, because they will not be required to submit information about their immigration status.The operating hours of makeshift testing sites in the Guro, Geumcheon, and Yeongdeungpo districts, which have large foreign p

Mar 5, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Seoul encourages foreign residents to take COVID-19 tests

Medical experts warn against excessive fears of the COVID-19 vaccine

Medical workers at Asan Medical Center receive the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine at the hospital in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Asan Medical CenterBy Lee Hyo-jin Medical experts have warned against excessive fears about the COVID-19 vaccine among patients with underlying health conditions, following several reported deaths after the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as it may lead to vaccine hesitancy. As of Friday, seven people with pre-existing health conditions had died after receiving a first shot of the vaccine, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The agency noted that they all had underlying conditions, such as cardiac disorders, diabetes, and cerebrovascular diseases. While the authorities are looking into any possible link between the fatalities and the vaccine, the deaths have prompted some fear and anxiety among people with underlying health problems.However, medical experts on chronic illnesses such as diabetes, rheumatic and respiratory diseases noted that the deaths should not be a reason for people to refuse or delay having the

Mar 5, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Medical experts warn against excessive fears of the COVID-19 vaccine

South Korea approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine

South Korea's Minister of Food and Drug Safety Kim Gang-lip announces at the ministry's headquarters in Cheongju, Gyeonggi Province, on Mar. 5 the government has decided to import Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines starting late March. YonhapSouth Korea's drug safety agency on Friday approved the vaccine for the novel coronavirus developed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. as the country is pushing for the COVID-19 inoculation campaign.The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety allowed use of Pfizer's two full-dose regimen following three separate independent evaluations on the efficacy and safety.Pfizer products for about 23 million people, under a direct contract between the pharmaceutical firm and the Seoul government, are expected to start arriving here later this month.The ministry said Pfizer's two full-dose regimen showed more than a 95 percent efficacy rate, including for people aged between 16 and 17, and aged 65 and older.Despite the ministry's decision, it is unclear whether youths are eligible to receive Pfizer vaccines as local health authorities here exclude inoculating peop

Mar 5, 2021
South Korea approves Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine

Friday's new virus cases hovering around 400, potential upticks worrisome amid pandemic fatigue

Republic of Korea Air Force's C-130 carrier carrying a bulk of COVID-19 vaccines takes off Seoul Airport in Seongnam to depart for Jeju Island on Mar. 5. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases continued to hover around 400 on Friday amid the country's vaccination push, with a potential resurgence in spring still worrisome amid prolonged pandemic fatigue and an increase in more contagious COVID-19 variants.The country reported 398 more COVID-19 cases, including 381 local infections, raising the total caseload to 91,638, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.The daily caseload was down from 444 cases recorded Wednesday and 424 cases Thursday.The country added eight more deaths from COVID-19, raising the total to 1,627. The fatality rate was 1.78 percent. South Korea reported more than 1,000 daily cases in late December before it saw a downward trend. The daily tally has been largely stagnant recently, staying around 300 and 400. The country has administered vaccinations to a total of 225,853 people since launching a mass vaccination campaign last Friday,

Mar 5, 2021
Friday's new virus cases hovering around 400, potential upticks worrisome amid pandemic fatigue

Migrant workers fear being excluded from COVID-19 vaccination program

Migrant workers work in a fishery in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, Feb. 2. / Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jin Migrant workers here are concerned that they might be excluded from the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination program or pushed back on the priority list, saying that the government's coronavirus-related measures so far have not been equally applied to them. Prior to the vaccine rollout, the government said that foreign nationals who have stayed in the country for over three months, including undocumented migrants, will be provided with the vaccine under the same order and procedures applied to Korean nationals.But limited information on vaccination schedules have left migrant workers wondering when their turn will come. Many of these workers are concerned that they might be lose their eligibility at the last minute, considering the government's inconsistent coronavirus-related policies for migrants. “As we haven't been told anything from the authorities yet, many workers are quite confused and concerned when they will actually be able to get vaccinated,” said Shekh al M

Mar 4, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Migrant workers fear being excluded from COVID-19 vaccination program

Moon willing to receive AstraZeneca vaccine shot: Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in, left / YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in may take a COVID-19 vaccine, probably made by AstraZeneca, in the near future, his office said Thursday.A specific schedule for a possible vaccination would be decided considering a related manual of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and the diplomatic calendar, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok told reporters.He cited the possibility that Britain will host an in-person Group of Seven (G-7) summit in June. Moon has been invited to the session.Health authorities have a priority list for the people to benefit from the free-of-charge vaccination program that got under way here last week. But there is an exception if urgent foreign travel is required, Kang pointed out.A Cheong Wa Dae official later reaffirmed that Moon, 68, plans to "willingly" take AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine shot, as Pfizer-produced ones are now available for medical workers. The official was speaking on the condition of anonymity.Public concern lingers over the effectiveness and safety of AstraZeneca vaccines, especially when used fo

Mar 4, 2021
Moon willing to receive AstraZeneca vaccine shot: Cheong Wa Dae
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