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Busan Metropolitan City to Provide Free COVID-19 Vaccinations for the 2025–2026 Season

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will offer free COVID-19 vaccinations for the 2025–2026 season from October 15, 2025, to April 30, 2026, targeting high-risk groups such as people aged 65 and older and those who are immunocompromised.

The program aims to prevent severe illness and death among high-risk groups, including senior citizens aged 65 and older, immunocompromised individuals aged six months or older, and inpatients or residents of infection-prone facilities*. A newly developed vaccine (LP.8.1) will be administered.
*Facilities include nursing hospitals, long-term care facilities, psychiatric hospitals, mental health care and rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters, and residential facilities for persons with disabilities.

Vaccinations will be carried out sequentially by age group as follows:

Vaccination Schedule by Eligible Group (2025–2026 Season)

Eligible Group	Vaccination Period
75 years and older (born on or before Dec. 31, 1950)	Oct. 15, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026
Ages 70–74 (born Jan. 1, 1951 – Dec. 31, 1955)	Oct. 20, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026
Ages 65–69 (born Jan. 1, 1956 – Dec. 31, 1960)	Oct. 22, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026
Immunocompromised individuals and residents/inpatients of high-risk facilities (aged six months or older)	Oct. 15, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026

During the 2024–2025 season, Busan’s vaccination rate among the elderly was lower than the national average, ranking sixth among eight metropolitan cities. As lower vaccination rates can significantly increase the risk of community transmission, high-risk individuals who have not yet been vaccinated are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

A total of 380,000 doses of the new LP.8.1 vaccine will be used for this season, requiring only a single dose as in the previous campaign. However, immunocompromised individuals under the age of 12 and other high-risk groups may need one or two doses depending on their previous vaccination history and should consult a medical professional before receiving the vaccine.

Those aged 65 and older are advised to receive the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines simultaneously, as both are recommended for them. They can receive both shots during a single visit without the need for multiple appointments.

When visiting a vaccination site, individuals must bring identification (such as a resident registration card or National Health Insurance card) to confirm eligibility. After receiving the vaccine, recipients should remain at the facility for 20–30 minutes to monitor for any adverse reactions and take adequate rest afterwards.

Immunocompromised individuals must provide relevant documentation (e.g., a medical certificate, physician’s note, or proof of residence at a facility). However, if the attending physician determines that the person qualifies as immunocompromised, the vaccine may be administered without such documentation.

Vaccinations will be available at designated medical institutions nationwide, regardless of one’s place of residence. To check which institutions offer both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines simultaneously, residents can contact their local public health center or visit the Vaccination Helper website → “Vaccination Management” → “Find Designated Medical Institutions.”

Jo Gyuyul, Director General of the Citizens’ Health Bureau, stated, “Because COVID-19 variants change each year, we strongly encourage everyone to receive the new vaccine developed for the most recent strains. In particular, we ask for the cooperation of family members to ensure that senior citizens aged 65 and older receive both the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines at the same time for optimal protection.”