National vaccination against influenza starts on September 22nd...Transition from existing tetravalent to trivalent vaccine

Aug 25, 2025

National vaccination against influenza starts on September 22nd...Transition from existing tetravalent to trivalent vaccine
◇접종 일정. Data = Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention



National vaccination against influenza in the 2025-2026 season will begin on September 22nd.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the inoculation will be free of charge until April 30, 2026, for children aged 6 months to 13 years (born January 1, 2012 to August 31, 2025) and those aged 65 or older (born before December 31, 1960), who are at high risk of severe infection in preparation for the upcoming winter influenza epidemic.

Starting with children eligible for two doses who have no past vaccination history or who have been vaccinated only once, children and pregnant women aged 6 months or older will be vaccinated twice on September 22, and influenza national vaccinations will be carried out sequentially by age group on October 15, with children and pregnant women aged 6 months or older and those aged 75 or older.




National vaccination against influenza starts on September 22nd...Transition from existing tetravalent to trivalent vaccine
Data=KCDC
The national vaccination of influenza from 2025 to 2026 will be implemented by switching from the existing tetravalent vaccine to a trivalent vaccine in accordance with recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and deliberation by the vaccination committee. Influenza vaccines are manufactured to include virus types that are expected to be prevalent each year. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the difference between the trivalent vaccine and the tetravalent vaccine includes two types of A and two types of B (Victoria, Yamagata), but the trivalent vaccine contains two types of influenza A (H1N1, H3N2) and one type of B virus (Victoria)

It is explained that it induces immunity to a total of three viruses, including one. However, considering the situation in which the type B Yamagata virus is not detected for a long time around the world, the national influenza vaccination in Korea will be converted from a tetravalent vaccine to a trivalent vaccine starting this year. It was confirmed that the trivalent vaccine did not differ from the tetravalent vaccine in terms of effectiveness and safety.

Influenza national vaccination can be administered at nearby entrusted medical institutions and health centers regardless of address. There are about 230,000 entrusted medical institutions nationwide, and you can check the consigned medical institutions close to the competent public health center or the vaccination helper website.




Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Lim Seung-kwan said, `Since there is a month left until the start of influenza vaccination, local governments should make every effort to prepare in advance for the management of vaccine supply and demand, education of vaccination institutions, and promotion of each target person. We urge children aged 6 months to 13 years, pregnant women, and senior citizens aged 65 or older to receive influenza vaccination in preparation for this winter's epidemic.'



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.