South Korea wants to have 70% of its population vaccinated by the end of September, the prime minister said, speeding up one of the lowest inoculation rates among major Asian economies as cases surge to record highs.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, at the forefront of the government’s pandemic policy, said Tuesday that South Korea would keep funneling aid to small businesses hurt by strict social distancing measures aimed at stemming a record COVID-19 wave powered by the delta variant. Kim indicated Seoul would do all it can to avoid a lockdown.
"We’re looking at various ways, such as cross-inoculation with other companies, in order to reach a 70% first-shot vaccination rate by the end of September,” Kim said in interview with Bloomberg, referring to the mix of Covid-19 vaccines from suppliers including Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc.