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97% of troops over 30 receive 2nd COVID-19 vaccine doses

July 30, 2021 - 11:03 By Yonhap

This file photo taken July 7, 2021, shows the gate of an Army boot camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, which reported a cluster COVID-19 infection recently. (Yonhap)
About 97 percent of service members aged 30 and older have received the second doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, the defense ministry said Friday.

As of Thursday, 113,164 troops, or 96.8 percent of troops of the age group who had their first shots, have received the second doses, according to the ministry.

The military provided AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for their first shots in April and May but the second doses were given with Pfizer's after health authorities decided earlier this month to administer AstraZeneca's vaccine only to over-50s due to blood clotting concerns.

Soldiers aged under 30 were given Pfizer's vaccine, and around 391,300 members, or 95 percent of the age group, have completed receiving the two-dose regimen.

On Friday, the ministry said a military civilian worker based in Yangju, just north of Seoul, was confirmed to have contracted the virus after a family member tested positive.

The latest case raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 1,498.

Nationwide, South Korea added 1,710 new cases Friday, bringing the total caseload to 196,806. (Yonhap)