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Welcome to Arirang News.

This is Kwon Joo-hyun

And we start with our top headlines at this hour

1.

South Korea reported 511 more cases of Covid-19,

bringing the nation's total infections

to 128-thousand 283.

It also reported 4 additional virus death,

now standing at 1,879.

In total, 118,717 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, rising 873 from a day earlier.

2. Meanwhile,

Starting next week, the government will help cover medical expenses for those who suffer 시비어 severe reactions

to Covid-19 vaccinations.

South Korea's COVID-19 Vaccination Management Task Force announced on Monday that they'll be temporarily

helping out patients from Monday next week.

Commissioner of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency JEONG Eun-kyeong said

the amount of the support will be up to 10 million won,

or roughly nine-thousand U.S. dollars per person,

and covers medical expenses for diseases

that occurred following the COVID-19 vaccination.

This support project will be implemented from May 17th,

after a preparation period

such as training local government officials.

People who have received the shot, or their guardian,

can visit the community health center to apply for the support.

But if there is another reason for the adverse reaction, then they can't get the support.

Meanwhile, South Korea on Monday began

accepting COVID-19 vaccine reservations,...

for the next group of senior citizens –

those between the ages of 65 and 69.

This is the second of the three-stage reservation program,...

which covers people between 60 and 74,...

who will be getting the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The actual inoculations will take place from May 27th to mid-June.

And as the vaccination process is ongoing,

the country has announced its preliminary review of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine,... which largely backed its approval.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Sunday

held its first consultative meeting with an independent advisory panel,...

which confirmed the vaccine provides 94-point-one percent protection against COVID-19,... and forms strong antibodies,...

two weeks after the second dose.

This is the first of three review stages that the vaccine has to clear before it is approved.

3.

U.S. regulators have expanded approval

for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine,...for people aged 12 to 15.

The FDA expanded emergency authorization

after reviewing clinical data,...

which showed the vaccine's efficacy to be 100 percent,...

and that it is well tolerated.

The decision makes Pfizer's vaccine the first in the U.S.

to be authorized for younger teens.

The vaccine had previously been authorized

for people aged 16 and older.

Pfizer is also planning to seek approval for children

between 2 and 11 years old in September.

Its vaccine safety and efficacy study in children

ages 6 months to 11 years old is ongoing.

4.

The WHO has classified the COVID-19 variant

first identified in India as a variant of global concern,...

with preliminary studies showing

it spreads more easily than other strains.

5.

In response to the U.S. offer last week,

it was reported that North Korea has said

the proposal has been "well received,"

a different reaction from when the first dialogue offer was made.

Moving to weather forecast,

Upper parts of the country will have early summer weather

with lots of sunshine.

The highs will hit 27 degrees Celsius in Seoul and Chuncheon,

but Jejudo Island will have a wet day.

After the rain lets up in the southern regions this afternoon,

there will be some sunshine with warmer highs.

Jejudo Island will start to see rain from the afternoon

along with strong gusts through early tomorrow.

Air quality will be good to normal throughout the country.

The warm weather continues through Saturday

with highs nearing 30 degrees Celsius in Seoul

then there is rain on Sunday.

Highs will range between 19 and 27 degrees Celsius.

As for the highs, Seoul will be 27 degrees,

while Busan and Jejudo Island will be 19 and 21 degrees in the afternoon.

The current temperatures are:

___ degrees in Seoul,

___degrees in Suwon,

___degrees in Daegu,

___degrees in Busan

and ___degrees on Jejudo Island.

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