COVID-19 Booster Shot Guideline for Foreign Nationals (18 years or older) Staying in the Republic of Korea

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From:  https://www.busan.go.kr/eng/bsnews01/1518281

The protection provided by vaccines tends to wane over time and raise the risk of infection. Receiving a booster shot has been proven to provide greater protection against infection and severe illness from COVID-19 than those seen only after the primary series vaccination.

We strongly encourage everyone to get booster shots so you can enjoy a healthier and safer time in Korea.

 

If you are 18 years or older and have completed your primary series vaccination in or outside of Korea, you are eligible to receive a booster shot for free. 

 

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency 2022.01.25. COVID-19 Booster Shot Guideline for Foreign Nationals (18 years or older) Staying in the Republic of Korea The protection provided by vaccines tends to wane over time and raise the risk of infection. Receiving a booster shot has been proven to provide greater protection against infection and severe illness from COVID-19 than those seen only after the primary series vaccination. We strongly encourage everyone to get booster shots so you can enjoy a healthier and safer time in Korea. If you are 18 years or older and have completed your primary series vaccination in or outside of Korea, you are eligible to receive a booster shot for free. ㅇ When Can I Get a Booster Dose? - You can get your booster shot 90 days (3 months) after your primary series completion. For Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) recipients, you can get your booster shot 60 days (2 months) after your initial dose of the vaccine. * Primary series: - 2 dose-series of Pfizer, Moderna, and Astrazeneca. - A single dose of Janssen. - After you receive your primary dose(s), you must receive your booster shot within 6 months(180 days) or your vaccine pass will become invalid. Your vaccine pass will become valid immediately once you receive your booster shot. ㅇ Which Booster Shot Should I Get and Where? - Currently offered booster shots are mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna). * The same applies to Janssen recipients. Please contact a public health center near you if you want to recieve a Janssen booster shot. - You can get your booster shot from medical institutions and public health centers, whether you have health insurance or not. ㅇ How to Make Your Vaccine Appointment ① If You Were Vaccinated in Korea 1) Registered Foreign Nationals: You can make an appointment online or over the phone, just like how you made the appointment(s) for your previous vaccine(s). *Online Reservation: Visit the KDCA website (https://ncvr.kdca.go.kr), verify your identity and make your appointment. **Phone Reservation: Contact the KDCA call center at ☏1339 or a medical center run by your local municipal government (Visit https://ncv.kdca.go.kr → click the sub menu “코로나19예방접중 전화예약 운영현황” (A list of local call centers’ contact information) to find the phone number for your local municipality’s center). 2) Unregistered Foreign Nationals (including illegal residents): Use the temporary code you received at public health centers when you took your previous dose(s) to make your booster shot appointment via phone or visiting the inoculation centers (medical institutions or public health centers) in person. ② If You Were Vaccinated Outside of Korea (including short-term travelers staying in Korea for less than 90 days) - Please visit a public health center near you and bring your ID. Request a temporary code and register your international vaccination records. You can then make your booster shot appointment via phone or visiting the inoculation centers (medical institutions or public health center) in person. *Registered foreign nationals do not need a temporary code for the booster shot vaccination. ※ Please Note - Information regarding your identity and legal status will solely be used for vaccination purposes only. Medical institutions and public health centers are exempt from their obligations to notify illegal residents to the Korea Immigration Service. - Please visit the KDCA website (https://ncv.kdca.go.kr) for more information.