High School Seniors Vaccination Begins "For a Safe College Entrance Exam"... Yoo Eun-hye "Discussing Expansion of Vaccination for Under 18" (Comprehensive)

Despite Concerns Over Vaccine Side Effects, Majority of Students Choose Vaccination
Requests to Expand Vaccination to Non-Senior Students in Boarding Schools
Yoo Eun-hye: "Vaccination Policy to Be Decided Before Second Semester Starts"

On the 19th, when 'COVID-19 vaccination for high school seniors and high school staff' began, a high school senior is receiving a vaccine at Haenuri Town in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. July 19, 2021. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] "I was worried about vaccine side effects, but I thought it would be better to take the CSAT safely, so I got vaccinated." (Yoon Jinseo, 3rd-year student at Gangseo High School)

"Please roll up your left sleeve. Avoid exercising for about three days, do not shower today, and do not rub the injection site." (Park Miseon, nurse at Gimpo Public Health Center)

On the 19th, the second floor of the vaccination center in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, was crowded with high school seniors coming to get vaccinated around 8 a.m. Gangseo High School's 3rd-year students and teachers, totaling 220 people, filled the waiting room, and the students proceeded with vaccination in order while holding pre-filled health questionnaires. After consulting about their health status, the students moved to the vaccination booths to receive the vaccine. Vaccinations at Gangseo High School were conducted in two sessions of 110 people each at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. The center broadcasted a notice asking people to refrain from talking as much as possible and to wear masks due to the large number of people.

Kim Siwoo, a 3rd-year student at Gangseo High School who received the vaccine that day, said, "Getting vaccinated might affect my studies, but since I’m young, I don’t think anything serious will happen." He added, "My parents had no adverse reactions, so I believe it will be fine." Another student who finished vaccination said, "It didn’t feel strange at all; it was just like getting a regular shot." He continued, "I was scared before getting vaccinated, but after, I felt no burden and will continue to wear a mask and study hard as usual." Students and staff who completed vaccination moved to the monitoring room to observe their condition.

On the 19th, when COVID-19 vaccinations began for high school seniors and school staff, students were waiting to receive their vaccines at the vaccination center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

On the 19th, when COVID-19 vaccinations began for high school seniors and staff, students who received the vaccine were waiting in the adverse reaction monitoring area at the vaccination center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Honam Moon munonam@

At the Gimpo No. 2 Vaccination Center, visited by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye, 568 third-year students from Gimpo Haseong High School and Masong High School were vaccinated. Gimpo is accelerating vaccinations to complete them as much as possible before the school opens on August 17. The Gimpo Office of Education explained that if the second dose for high school seniors is delayed, it could affect not only the start of the second semester but also CSAT application and counseling, so they are hurrying to finish. Recently, the number of confirmed cases has surged due to native English-speaking instructors, with students and staff accounting for 164 cases, which is 10.4% of all confirmed cases in Gimpo.

There are also calls to provide vaccination opportunities for 1st and 2nd-year high school students, who are currently excluded from the vaccination target group. On the 16th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety expanded the approved age for the Pfizer vaccine to include those aged 12 and older, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is considering expanding vaccination to adolescents aged 12 to 15.

Regarding this, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye said, "Vaccinations start from age 18, but vaccination for younger age groups can only be implemented once approval and plans are in place. We are discussing so that vaccination policies can be decided before the second semester begins."

On the 19th, when 'COVID-19 vaccination for high school seniors and high school staff' began, a high school senior is holding a vaccination record and a stopwatch at Haenuri Town in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. July 19, 2021. Photo by Joint Press Corps

According to the Ministry of Education, vaccinations for high school seniors and staff will be conducted from today until the 31st. This applies to 3,184 schools nationwide, including high schools, alternative schools (authorized), unauthorized educational facilities, and accredited lifelong education facilities. Eligible individuals include enrolled or on-leave 3rd-year students and early graduates applying for the 2022 college entrance exam. Staff, including dispatched personnel and all instructors and employees who have close contact with students at schools, will also be vaccinated.

If adverse reactions occur after vaccination, absences up to two days post-vaccination will be counted as excused absences. From the third day onward, absences will be treated as medical leave and require a doctor's diagnosis or medical opinion. Vaccination should be postponed if the individual is suspected of infection, is quarantined, has had contact with confirmed cases, or has acute symptoms such as fever. If vaccination is postponed, the schedule will be individually notified later.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency stated in its guidance that "severe allergic reactions may rarely occur, and myocarditis or pericarditis may develop." High-intensity exercise should be avoided for seven days after vaccination. The agency advised, "If you have fever or muscle pain, take antipyretics as needed, and avoid high-intensity exercises such as swimming, heavy weightlifting, cycling, or running after the first and second doses."

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