Table 3. Category, population group, and estimated number of each population group.
| Category | Population group | Estimated number (% of total populationa) | Reference or relevant instituteb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and community support services | High risk workers in healthcare facilities, workers in long-term care facilities/home welfare facilities | 1,395,000 (2.7) | MOHW, data obtained from HIRA |
| Other healthcare workers | |||
| COVID-19 support services | First responders (patient management, isolation, epidemiological investigation, quarantine), emergency medical technicians | 92,000 (0.2) | Local municipalities, KNFA |
| Other critical infrastructure | Police, firefighters, soldiers | 745,000 (1.4) | KNPA, KNFA, MND |
| Critical infrastructure workers who are indispensable for the public to maintain daily life (e.g., energy and water supply, transportation system) | 159,900 (0.3) | K-water, MOTIE, MOLIT | |
| General population | Infants & children (0–6 years) | 2,614,420 (5.0) | Statistics Korea43 |
| Elementary school aged children (7–12 year) | 2,827,468 (5.5) | ||
| Middle and high school aged children (13–18 year) | 2,849,595 (5.5) | ||
| Adults 19–49 years old | 22,663,859 (43.7) | ||
| Adults 50–64 years old | 12,525,494 (24.2) | ||
| Older adults (≥65 years old) | 8,359,117 (16.1) | ||
| Adults aged 19–64 years old with significant comorbid conditions | 6,026,894 (12.1) | Data obtained from HIRAc | |
| Adults aged 19–64 years old with moderate comorbid conditions | 5,647,911 (11.4) | ||
| Older adults in congregated or overcrowded settingsd | 566,400 (1.1) | Data obtained from HIRA | |
| Persons in congregated or overcrowded setting (except older adults)e | 63,927 (0.1) | Statistics of MOHW44 | |
| Child/adolescent education facility workers and staff | 675,000 (1.3) | Statistics of MOE45 | |
| Incarcerated/detained people and staff | 19,570 (0.04) | MOJ | |
| Pregnant women | 295,000 (0.6) | Data obtained from HIRA | |
| Household contacts of older adults or people with comorbid conditions | Not available |
MOHW = Ministry of Health and Welfare, KNFA = Korean National Fire Agency, KNPA = Korean National Police Agency, MND = Ministry of National Defense, K-water = Korea Water Resource Corporation, MOTIE = Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, MOLIT = Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, MOE = Ministry of Education, HIRA = Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, MOJ = Ministry of Justice.
aCalculation based on the total population reported to Statistics Korea as of August 2020. The results extracted from the health insurance claims data were based on the total population of the data source. Owing to overlapping cases, the total proportion exceeded 100%; bThe number of population groups was estimated through relevant reference or by direct request to a relevant institute (unpublished data); cSince the amount of vaccines would be limited, the number of individuals with comorbidities that put them at higher risk was estimated by dividing them into significant and moderate groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification as of September 2020.34 The number of individuals with significant or moderate comorbidity was estimated using Korean claims data (from April 2019 to May 2020); dThis includes residents of healthcare and non-healthcare congregate settings (e.g., group homes, long-term care facilities); eCenters for children; single parents; disabled people; mental health patients; people with unstable housing, tuberculosis, and Hansen's disease; and women's shelters.