The government will expand eligibility for the latest COVID-19 vaccinations to include everyone aged 18 or older.

Interior minister Lee Sang-min, who is the second deputy of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, made the announcement on Wednesday as he urged the public to get vaccinated in order to avoid severe symptoms this winter.

The minister said the risk of critical symptoms after two rounds of vaccination dropped 67-point-nine percent compared to the unvaccinated group, with that figure strengthening to 95 percent after three rounds.

Until now, only those with a weak immune system, patients and workers at nursing facilities as well as seniors aged 60 or older have been advised to get omicron-adapted vaccinations.

The sole current type of BA.1-adapted vaccination will also expand to include those manufactured based on variants BA.4 and BA.5.