South Korea has said it would begin inoculations next month for children aged 12 to 17 and offer Covid-19 vaccine booster shots to those 75 years and above as the country starts to transition to normalcy by the end of October.

The vaccination advisory committee of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has ruled that the benefits outweigh the risks in vaccinating children. However, parents who have healthy children, such as those who do not have underlying conditions, are advised to weigh the relative benefits in making their decision, KDCA Director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a news conference.

While approving vaccinations for 12 to 17-year-olds, who will be given Pfizer shots, the panel and the government had not mandated that all children should take the shot.