Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Dec;56(4):453-460.
doi: 10.3947/ic.2024.0142.

COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations for 2024-2025 in Korea

Wan Beom Park  1 , Young Hoon Hwang  2 , Ki Tae Kwon  3 , Ji Yun Noh  4 , Sun Hee Park  5 , Joon Young Song  4 , Eun Ju Choo  6 , Min Joo Choi  7 , Jun Yong Choi  8 , Jung Yeon Heo  9 , Won Suk Choi  4 ; Committee on Adult Immunization of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations for 2024-2025 in Korea

Wan Beom Park et al. Infect Chemother. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases has been regularly publishing guidelines for adult immunization since 2007. Following the release of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations in 2023, significant changes have occurred due to the emergence of new variant strains and the waning immunity from previous vaccinations. This article provides a comprehensive update as of November 2024, incorporating the latest evidence and guidelines. Focusing on the 2024-2025 season, this article reviews vaccines currently authorized in Korea and assesses their effectiveness against the predominant JN.1 lineage variants. The updated recommendations prioritize high-risk groups, including adults aged 65 and older, individuals with underlying medical conditions, residents of facilities vulnerable to infection, pregnant women, and healthcare workers, for vaccination with updated vaccines targeting the JN.1 strain. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination is available for all individuals aged 6 months and older. For most adults, a single-dose strategy is emphasized, while tailored schedules may be recommended for immunocompromised individuals. This update aims to optimize vaccination strategies in Korea to ensure comprehensive protection for high-risk populations.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccination.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

WBP is associate editor of Infect Chemother. JYS and JYC are editorial board of Infect Chemother; however, they did not involve in the peer reviewer selection, evaluation, and decision process of this article. Otherwise, no potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article was reported.

References

    1. Choi WS, Choi JH, Kwon KT, Seo K, Kim MA, Lee SO, Hong YJ, Lee JS, Song JY, Bang JH, Choi HJ, Choi YH, Lee DG, Cheong HJ Committee of Adult Immunization; Korean Society of Infectious Diseases. Revised adult immunization guideline recommended by the korean society of infectious diseases, 2014. Infect Chemother. 2015;47:68–79. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Choi WS, Song JY, Kwon KT, Lee HJ, Choo EJ, Baek J, Chin B, Kim WJ, Lee MS, Park WB, Han SH, Choi JY, Yeom JS, Lee JS, Choi HJ, Choi YH, Lee DG, Choi JH, Cheong HJ Committee of Adult Immunization; Korean Society of Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for adult immunization by the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, 2023: minor revisions to the 3rd edition. Infect Chemother. 2024;56:188–203. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kang JH, Kim HB, Sohn JW, Lee SO, Chung MH, Cheong HJ, Choi YH, Choi JH, Choi JY, Choe HJ. Adult immunization schedule recommended by the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, 2007. Infect Chemother. 2008;40:1–13.
    1. Park WB, Hwang YH, Cheong HJ. COVID-19 vaccination in Korea. Infect Chemother. 2023;55:135–149. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kang SJ, Jung SI. Age-related aorbidity and aortality among patients with COVID-19. Infect Chemother. 2020;52:154–164. - PMC - PubMed