"20s Without Underlying Conditions Experience Side Effects After Vaccination" National Petition... Authorities "Assessing Causality"

Cheong Wa Dae National Petition Board Screenshot

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] A post claiming severe side effects such as myelitis after COVID-19 vaccination has been uploaded to the Blue House National Petition Board.

On the 10th, a post titled "I have doubts about whether COVID vaccine side effects recognition and compensation are truly possible" was published on the Blue House National Petition Board. The petitioner claimed that his 20-year-old male cousin, who had no underlying conditions, was hospitalized in the intensive care unit with symptoms of myelitis after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The petitioner explained that his cousin, who works at a medical institution, was transferred to the emergency room after experiencing about ten episodes of vomiting and fever from the evening of the vaccination day on the 4th until early the next morning, and was moved to the intensive care unit on the 5th.

The petitioner stated, "His mental state became confused, and severe muscle weakness of 70-80% progressively worsened, which can only be considered an immune system side effect," and that he was diagnosed with "suspected lesions in the brain or spinal cord."

However, the next day, the attending professor firmly denied the causal relationship with the vaccine, saying, "There is a lesion in the spinal cord, but it is highly likely that it existed before."

The petitioner revealed that even after being transferred to a general ward on the morning of the 7th, his cousin was unable to walk due to lack of strength in his legs and complained again of high fever and vomiting from the afternoon.

In response, the petitioner contacted the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) but claimed that he received an irresponsible response stating, "Vaccination is optional," and "We cannot provide any assistance regarding this issue, so please resolve it with the hospital."

Regarding this petition, the KDCA explained in a reference document, "This is a case hospitalized due to worsening symptoms on the day of vaccination on the 4th," and "On the 5th, early after vaccination, the reporting medical institution did not consider a high likelihood of association with the vaccination."

They added, "Subsequently, neurological symptoms of the adverse reaction reporter persisted, and an on-site epidemiological investigation was conducted on the 9th. Evaluation of the association with vaccination is underway by city/provincial authorities," and "In the future, the causality with vaccination will be assessed at the damage investigation team meeting, and based on the results, compensation procedures will proceed."

Regarding the petitioner's inquiry about "how to prove side effects if the hospital says it is not a side effect," the KDCA responded, "Causality (between vaccination and onset) is determined by hospital medical staff judgment, and reporting to the public health center was guided," adding, "Counseling will be conducted to prevent misunderstandings during the consultation process."

However, it was reported that in this case, no compensation application regarding causality has yet been submitted.

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