Seoul, Dec 29 : The U. Forces Korea (USFK) announced on Tuesday that ithas started an initial Covid-19 vaccination for healthcare workers, first responders and its command team. In a statement, the South Korea-based USFK said that it began inoculating military and civilian healthcare workers, first responders and the command team with the Moderna vaccine across three USFK medical treatment facilities, reports Xinhua news agency. The three facilities are the Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital at the US Army Garrison in Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, around 70 km south of Seoul; the 51st Medical Group at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek; and the 8th Medical Group at Kunsan Air Base in Kunsan city. The USFK was identified as one of four overseas locations to receive the Moderna vaccine, which the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised under an emergency use authorization (EUA) on December 18. Under the EUA, the vaccine is voluntary and not mandatory for about 28,500 US soldiers stationed in South Korea. The first shipment of the Moderna vaccines arrived here on December 25, and had been in cold storage at Camp Carroll in Chilgok county before being delivered to the three medical treatment facilities. Following the initial inoculations, additional vaccine shipments will arrive as other FDA-authorized vaccines are produced and shipped to the USFK, according to the statement. Seven more US soldiers and three civilians in South Korea have tested positive for the virus, raising the total number of USFK-related cases to 480. /IANS