South Korea will begin COVID-19 inoculations for the general public from next month, starting with elderly people, and intends to open 250 new vaccination centers by July.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) on Monday announced vaccination plans for the second quarter, covering April to June.

The government plans to vaccinate about 12 million seniors, health care workers and those in priority groups with their first doses by the end of the quarter.

This will start with some 370-thousand patients and workers at nursing homes aged 65 and older receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine as early as next week. They had previously been barred due to efficacy concerns.

From the first week of April, elderly citizens aged 75 and older not in nursing home care will be eligible for shots. Healthy seniors aged 65 to 74 will be next with their inoculations to come in June. Teachers, flight attendants, health workers at clinics, police and fire officials will also receive shots during the second quarter.

To accommodate everyone, some 250 vaccination centers will open in phases through July at general hospitals, gymnasiums and other government sites.