The United States Army began a coronavirus the vaccination campaign for staff stationed in South Korea on Tuesday, as a third wave of the virus saw the host country record the highest daily death toll since the beginning of the pandemic. US-Korean forces (USFK) have delivered initial doses of Moderna vaccine to military and civilian health workers, first responders and command staff at its medical treatment units in the country, a statement said.
Washington has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to help defend it against the north with a nuclear weapon and to protect US interests in Northeast Asia.
Among those inoculated was USFK Commander Robert Abrams, who was photographed receiving a shot in a mask and a T-shirt inscribed with “#KilltheVirus”.
Vaccination is voluntary, but the USFK chief “strongly” encouraged members of the US service to receive it. “I want you and your family to make an informed decision about the vaccine,” he said in a statement.
Sgt. Betty R. Chevalier / US Air Force / DVIDS / Handout through REUTERS
South Korea is one of four overseas locations that have received the Modern vaccine, which won emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration on December 18.
The inoculations came as the new wave of the virus swept across the Asian country. The renaissance has centered on the larger Seoul area, which has seen daily cases rise to more than 1,000 times this month, despite tighter measures.
The country reported 1,046 new cases and 40 deaths on Tuesday, the highest daily value since it first identified an infection in January. It reported a total of 58,725 cases of coronavirus.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel made a video call late Monday and agreed that the company will provide vaccine doses to 20 million South Koreans in the second quarter of 2021, according to the office. Moon.
If the Moderna agreement is formally signed, South Korea will have enough vaccines for 56 million people, or four million more than its total population, the Moon office said.
It plans to launch its internal vaccination program in February.
South Korea has been praised as a model of how to fight the virus, with the public largely following official guidelines and authorities preventing a wider outbreak with an intensive “tracking, testing and treatment” approach.