"Anxious About Getting Vaccinated" Misadministration and Leukemia... Citizens' Outrage

Cases of COVID-19 Vaccine Misadministration Continue
Leukemia After Vaccination... Citizens "Worried About Misadministration and Illness"
Government "No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccine Causes Acute Leukemia"

Recently, as cases of vaccine misadministration have increased, public anxiety is growing. The government has decided to strengthen inspections of vaccination centers. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "I'm getting vaccinated to survive, but I'm very anxious.", "I hope the management improves."

As cases of vaccine misadministration continue in medical settings, public anxiety is growing. The government has decided to strengthen inspections of vaccination institutions.

At Korea University Guro Hospital in Seoul, between the 26th and 27th of last month, Pfizer vaccines that were either close to or past the recommended post-thaw administration period were given to about 140 people. This fact was only confirmed on the 3rd, a week later, and the vaccines administered during this period had expiration dates of the 20th or 26th of last month. So far, no severe adverse reactions due to misadministration have been reported.

Meanwhile, at a general hospital in Ulsan, from the 26th of last month to the 2nd of this month, a total of 91 people received Pfizer vaccines that had an expiration date of the 25th. In Busan, Daegu, and other areas, vaccines past their expiration dates were also administered, causing anxiety among citizens who have been vaccinated or are scheduled to be vaccinated in these regions.

Earlier, on the 12th and 13th of last month, it was confirmed that a medical institution in Cheongju, Chungbuk, administered Pfizer vaccines at doses 5 to 6 times higher than the recommended amount to 10 residents.

Given this situation, citizens have expressed their anxiety. Some have even shown distrust toward vaccination itself. They are voicing fears not only about misadministration but also about occurrences such as leukemia following vaccination.

Kim, a company employee in his 30s who recently received a vaccine, said, "The COVID vaccine is literally a matter of life and death," adding, "I appreciate the hard work of medical staff, but I hope the management is done properly."

Another company employee in his 40s, Lee, said, "I am scheduled to get vaccinated soon, but honestly, I am very anxious." He continued, "There have been many unsettling news reports about leukemia occurring after vaccination, and now hearing about misadministration makes me even more worried."

As citizens' concerns grow, reports of adverse reactions following vaccination continue to increase. According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Task Force on the 4th, from the 1st to the 3rd of this month, more than 3,000 adverse reaction reports were received daily by health authorities, totaling 9,441 cases. There were also 20 new death reports.

Breaking down the reports by vaccine type, Pfizer accounted for the most with 5,538 cases, followed by AstraZeneca (AZ) with 2,804, Moderna with 1,030, and Janssen with 69 cases.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Reports included common mild adverse reactions such as pain, swelling, muscle aches, and headaches after vaccination, as well as systemic allergic reactions and special interest adverse events. Suspected cases of severe systemic allergic reactions, or 'anaphylaxis,' increased by 31.

Additionally, there were 346 major adverse reaction cases, including ICU admissions, life-threatening conditions, permanent disabilities, and sequelae. These accounted for 3.66% of all adverse reaction reports, with Pfizer at 182 cases, AstraZeneca at 144, and Moderna at 20.

However, proving causality related to vaccination remains difficult. As petitions have been posted on the Blue House National Petition Board claiming leukemia after vaccination and other vaccine-related sequelae, the government requested expert consultation but currently states that no evidence of a connection has been found.

On the 2nd, Jo Eun-hee, head of the Safety Vaccination Management Division of the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Task Force, stated in a briefing, "According to the Korean Society of Hematology's consultation, there is no evidence so far that COVID-19 vaccines cause or trigger leukemia."

Regarding vaccine misadministration, the government is reviewing whether re-vaccination is necessary. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency stated, "Regarding re-vaccination, the safety and effectiveness of vaccines administered past their expiration date will be reviewed by an expert review committee before a decision is made. If re-vaccination is required, it will be administered three weeks after the initial vaccination date, so a decision will be made and announced before the three-week period elapses."

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