According to authorities, 5 South Koreans have reportedly died after being vaccinated against influenza vaccine in the country in the last week. Following the incident, concerns about vaccine safety arose as the seasonal vaccine program was expanded to address the possible complications of Covid-19.
However, they explained that the death should not have been associated with vaccine injections, but an investigation including a post-mortem is underway.
Based on a statement submitted by Deputy Health Minister Kim Gang-lip following the deaths of a 17-year-old boy and a 70-year-old man, concerns have made it difficult for them to make a categorical statement.
As a result, the launch of the national vaccine program has been delayed due to security concerns as well as the deaths dominating the headlines in South Korea.
Last month, health officials announced plans to get 20% more flu vaccines for the winter than the previous year to inject 30 million people in an effort to prevent the health system from being burdened by influenza and Covid-19 patients.
However, the free initial injection program for about 19 million eligible citizens was delayed for 3 weeks after it was found that around 5 million doses, which need to be cooled, were exposed to room temperature when transported to medical facilities.
For everyone's information, the South Korean flu vaccine is supplied by different drug companies, including LG Chem Ltd and Boryung Biopharma Co. Ltd., a unit of Boryung Pharm Co. Ltd. A Boryung official revealed that the company was aware of the reported deaths, but did not want to submit any feedback while LG Chem said the company would follow government advice.
Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy who died on Friday was the first recorded death after receiving the vaccine. The teenager died two days after receiving an injection in Incheon, near the capital Seoul.
Also, a man in his 70s, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and arrhythmias, is the most recent case. He died in Daegu, the day after getting the flu vaccine. Daegu health officials revealed that the man has been receiving vaccine injections since 2015 without any previous adverse reactions.
In addition, health officials say a total of 8.3 million individuals have received flu-free vaccine injections since it was resumed on October 13, with about 350 cases of adverse side effects reported. In addition, the highest number of deaths associated with seasonal flu vaccination was 6 years ago in 2005.
Even before the outbreak of the Covod-19 epidemic, public confidence in the vaccine was a growing challenge for public health bodies. The World Health Organization has classified doubts about vaccines as one of the top 10 global health threats for the past year.
In South Korea, a survey earlier this month found that 62% of the 2,548 respondents in Gyeonggi province, near Seoul, would not be vaccinated against Covid-19, even if the vaccine was approved, until all questions related to security issues were fully answered.
