The government has postponed enforcing the six-month validity period for the COVID-19 pass by two weeks until January.

Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said on Thursday that regulators pushed back the implementation date from December 20 to January 3 to allow more people time to get booster shots.

Authorities introduced the validity period to encourage more people to get boosters. It prohibits access to multipurpose or high-risk facilities for people whose second round of vaccination was administered more than six months prior.

While a two-week interval for efficacy is currently required for recognition of the second round of vaccination, booster shots will immediately be recognized.