Flu Vaccination: 70% of Children Within a Month... Nearly Half of Elderly in Just One Week

KDCA Flu Vaccination Status as of the 27th
Strong Early Vaccination Trend Among Elderly
Vaccination Rate Stagnant for Under 12 Due to Vaccine Shortage

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] On the first day of free influenza (flu) vaccinations for those aged 62 to 69, more than 450,000 people received the flu shot. Along with the elderly vaccination group aged 70 and above, which started a week earlier, about half of the initial target population has been vaccinated.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's vaccination status report as of midnight on the 27th, approximately 980,000 people aged 62 to 69 have been vaccinated this winter. This represents an increase of 450,000 people in one day from about 530,000 the previous day, meaning nearly 10% of the total target population in this age group completed vaccination on the first day of the free vaccination program.

This year’s national vaccination support program provides free flu vaccines to all individuals aged 62 and older. More than 500,000 people had already been vaccinated before the program’s official start date, as some received vaccinations for other illnesses at medical institutions and took the flu vaccine simultaneously, reflecting individual and regional characteristics. For those aged 70 and above, who began free vaccinations a week earlier on the 19th, about 3.97 million people have been vaccinated within a week.

On the 26th, when the government resumed free influenza vaccinations for seniors aged 62 to 69, citizens lined up in front of a hospital in Seoul to receive their flu shots. Following the resumption of free vaccinations for children under 12 and pregnant women on September 25, for those aged 13 to 18 on October 13, and for those aged 70 and above on the 19th, this marks the final age group for the vaccination restart. Regarding the recent 48 deaths following flu vaccinations, the government announced on the 23rd that there is no correlation and that vaccinations will continue. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Vaccination Rate: 70% for 70 and Older, 20% for 62 and Older in One Day
Increased Demand Due to Temperature and White Particle Quality Issues and COVID-19 Concerns

Looking at the vaccination rate, which is the percentage of vaccinated individuals among the total target population, as of this date, about 70% of those aged 70 and above and about 20% of those aged 62 to 69 have been vaccinated. Overall, the elderly vaccination rate reaches 47%. Elderly individuals tend to visit medical institutions early to receive free vaccinations, resulting in a high initial vaccination rate. This winter’s flu vaccine faced management issues such as improper temperature control and reports of white particle vaccines, and with concerns about simultaneous COVID-19 outbreaks, vaccination demand was expected to be high.

Vaccination progress among children, including elementary school students, is slower. While the government purchases vaccines in bulk and supplies them to public health centers and medical institutions for the elderly and those aged 13 to 18, children under 12 and pregnant women receive vaccines purchased individually by medical institutions, which then claim costs from the government and manufacturers. This leads to differences in vaccine stock levels across medical institutions.

For children under 12 years old (based on single-dose recipients), about 3.4 million were vaccinated as of this date, an increase of approximately 110,000 compared to a week earlier. The vaccination rate rose only 2 percentage points over the week, from 69% to 71%. Free vaccinations for children under 12 began on the 25th of last month.

Medical institutions frequently visited by children, such as pediatric clinics, have reported vaccine shortages, which has hindered smooth vaccination progress. About 110,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated, representing approximately 36% of the total target group. This is an increase of about 5,500 compared to a week earlier. Based on the total free vaccination target population, the vaccination rate for pregnant women is estimated at 54%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.