Repeated Minor Misadministrations... This Time Pfizer Given to a Middle School Girl with Swollen Eye

Incorrect Vaccination Administered to Middle School Girl Visiting Hospital for Eye Swelling Symptoms

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] At an internal medicine clinic in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, a middle school student was mistakenly administered the Pfizer vaccine. Currently, children and adolescents under 18 are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, but recent cases of incorrect vaccinations have been occurring consecutively.

According to health authorities on the 23rd, around 12:10 PM on the 22nd, medical staff at an internal medicine clinic in Namyangju administered the Pfizer vaccine to a middle school student, Ms. A.

Ms. A visited the hospital due to swollen eyes and reportedly received the vaccine while standing in line with other vaccine recipients.

After recognizing the vaccination error, the hospital notified Ms. A and her guardian and checked for any adverse reactions. Ms. A experienced mild fever and other symptoms the day after vaccination and underwent testing, but no serious adverse reactions have been reported so far.

A health official stated, "We have dispatched personnel to the hospital to conduct a thorough investigation, and we are continuously monitoring the vaccinated student for any adverse reactions."

Vaccination. /Photo by Yonhap News

This is not the only case of vaccine misadministration involving minors. Earlier, on the 13th, in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, a 12-year-old elementary school student, Mr. B, was mistakenly given the Pfizer vaccine due to a medical staff error.

Mr. B visited a pediatric and adolescent clinic in Jeonju to treat an eye stye and was administered the Pfizer vaccine.

At the time, medical staff explained that they mistook Mr. B for a vaccine recipient because his physique was larger than that of his peers. Mr. B’s mother had briefly left to use the restroom. Fortunately, Mr. B showed no adverse reactions.

Additionally, in July, there was another case where an elementary school student visiting a hospital for vaccination against a different illness was mistakenly given the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, due to insufficient clinical data on vaccination for minors and the possibility of side effects, COVID-19 vaccination is currently only administered to individuals aged 18 and older in South Korea.

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