Vaccinations Begin for 19th Grade 3 Students and High School Staff on the 19th... "Avoid Intense Exercise for 7 Days"

Vaccination at School-Based Centers
Attendance Excused for Up to 2 Days Post-Vaccination if Adverse Reactions Occur
Notice Also Specifies Possible Myocarditis and Pericarditis Risks

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Starting from the 19th, COVID-19 vaccinations for 3rd-year high school students and high school staff will begin.

On the 18th, the Ministry of Education announced that approximately 630,000 people from 3,184 high schools and equivalent educational institutions nationwide will receive vaccinations at school-based vaccination centers starting from the 19th.

The schools eligible for vaccination include high schools, alternative schools, unlicensed educational facilities, and accredited lifelong education facilities. 3rd-year high school students currently enrolled or on leave, as well as early graduates scheduled to take the 2022 college entrance exam, are included in the vaccination target. Eligible staff members are all personnel who have contact with students.

The Ministry of Education has allowed school principals the discretion to close schools or shorten classes on the vaccination day. Within four days after vaccination, including weekends, schools may flexibly operate academic schedules such as discretionary closures or remote classes depending on their circumstances.

If adverse reactions such as fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, or joint pain occur after vaccination, absences will be recognized as excused up to two days post-vaccination, and from the third day onward, they will be treated as sick leave.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) stated in their guidance that "severe allergic reactions may rarely occur, and myocarditis or pericarditis can develop." They advised taking antipyretics as needed if fever or muscle pain occurs and recommended avoiding high-intensity exercises such as swimming, heavy weightlifting, cycling, or running after the first and second doses.

The Ministry of Education guided schools to allocate vaccination times to minimize waiting times at vaccination sites (vaccination centers) and to move in small groups whenever possible. They also plan to instruct postponement of vaccination if the individual’s health condition is poor on the vaccination day.

Considering this is the first time vaccinations are being administered to students, the KDCA provided educational materials to facilitate pre-vaccination education. Metropolitan and provincial offices of education and schools were informed about anxiety responses during vaccination, coping methods, and preparations for managing adverse reactions.

On the first day of vaccination, the 19th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye will visit the 2nd vaccination center in Gimpo City, Gyeonggi Province (Gimpo Sports Center) to observe the vaccination site for 3rd-year high school students and high school staff.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye stated, "While closely monitoring adverse reactions after vaccination, if chest pain or difficulty breathing persists, immediate medical consultation is necessary. We also ask that high-intensity exercise and activities be avoided for about a week after vaccination."

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