The United States military started a coronavirus A vaccination campaign for personnel stationed in South Korea on Tuesday when a third wave of viruses saw the host country record the highest number of daily deaths since the pandemic began. U.S. Korean Forces (USFK) administered initial doses of the Modern vaccine to military and civilian health workers, first responders and command staff at their medical treatment facilities in the country, the statement said.
Washington has some 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to help it defend itself against the North with nuclear weapons and protect US interests in Northeast Asia.
Among those inoculated was USFK commander Robert Abrams, who was photographed getting shot with a mask and a T-shirt with the inscription “#KilltheVirus”.
Vaccination is voluntary, but the head of the USFK “strongly” encouraged the American military to receive it. “I want you to make an informed decision for you and your family regarding the vaccine,” he said in the statement.
Team Sergeant Betty R. Chevalier / US Air Force / DVIDS / Brochure via REUTERS
South Korea is one of four locations abroad to receive the Modern vaccine, which gained emergency use authorization US Food and Drug Administration on December 18.
The inoculations occurred at the moment when a new wave of the virus took over the Asian country. The resurgence was centered in the greater Seoul area, which has seen daily cases rise to more than 1,000 several times this month, despite stricter measures.
The country registered 1,046 new cases and 40 deaths on Tuesday, the highest daily number of victims since it identified an infection in January. He reported a total of 57,725 cases of coronavirus.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel held a video call on Monday night and agreed that the company will provide vaccine doses to 20 million South Koreans in the second quarter of 2021, according to Moon’s office.
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, Moon’s office said.
She plans to launch her home vaccination program in February.
South Korea has been praised as a model for how to fight the virus, with the public largely following official guidelines and authorities avoiding a wider outbreak with an intensive “track, test and treat” approach.