South Koreans aged 62 to 69 can receive free flu shots starting Monday under the government's nationwide flu vaccination program, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA).

Flu shots for the elderly aged 70 or older started a week ago. Health authorities set different dates for children and elderly people to prevent an overloading of the medical system by a surge in people getting the shots. 

The government plans to complete nationwide free vaccination by the end of the year in consideration of a potential twindemic of COVID-19 and the seasonal flu, the duration of the influenza season, and the time needed for antibodies to develop after vaccination.

Amid reports of deaths among people who received flu shots, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said on Sunday that the government will continue the free flu vaccination program. 

The minister said that the seasonal flu has claimed some three-thousand lives a year in South Korea alone, adding the benefits of flu shots far outweigh any side effects.