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SEOUL – Public concern over the safety of flu vaccines has risen in South Korea as authorities reported 36 cases of deaths after vaccination at 1:00 p.m. M. from Friday (October 23), which put pressure on his efforts to curb a possible “twin” of the winter flu. and the coronavirus.
The country is still grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, reporting 155 cases of Covid-19 on Friday, the highest since Sept. 11 and the second day in a row the number tripled. This brings the total to 25,698.
Health authorities now also have to address the growing fear of the state-run free flu vaccination program after two batches of vaccine were found defective since last month.
South Korea hopes to vaccinate some 19 million people for free, especially vulnerable groups like young children and the elderly, ahead of the annual flu season that begins in November when temperatures drop.
A causal link between flu shots and deaths has yet to be found so far, and research is underway to determine the exact cause of the deaths.
It is unknown how a 17-year-old boy living in Incheon died last Friday, two days after receiving a free flu shot, making it the first case.
South Korea’s forensic agency said it has not found a direct link between his death and the flu vaccine.
But it’s alarming how the number of similar deaths has skyrocketed since then, with just 18 reported on Thursday and nine more on Friday.
Most of the deaths are older people with underlying medical conditions.
A woman in her 80s living in the southern port city of Busan, died on Friday after being taken to hospital for breathing difficulties. He had gone to a hospital in nearby Daegu city four days ago to receive treatment for a chronic illness, but was given a flu shot on the advice of a doctor.
Police said he likely died of cardiovascular problems, but an autopsy will be performed to confirm whether his death is related to the flu vaccine.
In the western city of Jeonju, a man in his 70s was found dead on Thursday, two days after receiving a flu shot. This is the third case in North Jeolla Province, where Jeonju is the capital.
Officials are quoted as saying they are investigating possible links between his death and the vaccination.
Seoul has reported at least four such deaths, including a 53-year-old woman who developed breathing difficulties and died on Wednesday, four days after receiving the vaccine.
According to the Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency (KDCA), four people died after receiving a flu vaccine made by SK Biopharmaceuticals, one of 10 companies enrolled in the government program.
Vaccines made by at least five other companies (Shinsung Pharm, Korea Vaccine, Boryung Pharm, LG Chem, and GC Pharma) are also linked to such deaths.
Two batches of defective flu vaccine were found: one from Shinsung Pharm, which was improperly stored at room temperature last month rather than refrigerated, the other from Korea Vaccine, which was found to contain white particles earlier this month.
The news sparked nervousness across the country, ending the queues that had formed outside hospitals and public health centers when the government urged people to get vaccinated before flu season.
Even so, the health authorities continue with the vaccination program at the national level.
KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong told a Parliament hearing on Thursday that “experts agree that the deaths do not appear to be caused by vaccine products or toxicity problems.”
He added that an investigation into a possible causal relationship must be conducted and that the process will take at least two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Korean Medical Association (KMA) recommended that the vaccine program be postponed for a week while awaiting the results of the investigation.
As of October 18, 9.55 million people had received flu shots, according to the KDCA. About half are sponsored by the government.
Professor Park Myong-sook, 58, who recently paid to get a flu shot, is now concerned about possible side effects.
She urged the government to do a better job of managing the vaccine program.
“People get flu shots to live, but now it’s killing us,” he told The Straits Times.
Law firm employee Gina Lee, 30, who has had an annual flu shot in preparation for winter, is concerned that fears over recent deaths will prevent people from getting vaccinated, which will put them in risk when flu season begins.
“This now threatens our lives like Covid-19,” he said.
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