South Korea starts booster vaccination for soldiers

South Korea on Monday began administering Covid booster jabs to its soldiers, amid growing fears over the spread of the new Omicron variant.

Under the booster vaccination drive, the military plans to inoculate around 400,000 service members and civilian employees by January 14, according to the Ministry of National Defence.

The move came around two weeks earlier than its initial plan amid growing reports of breakthrough infections among troops, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Booster jabs will be offered at 41 vaccination centres this week and the number will be expanded to 91 next week.

Earlier in the day, the military reported 25 additional Covid-19 cases, all of which are breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 2,738.

Of the total, 981 were breakthrough infections. Of the new cases, 19 people are from the Army, four from the Navy, one from a unit under the direct control of the defense ministry, and one civilian employee, officials said. Currently, 379 military personnel are under treatment.

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