"Thought Half Would Get Vaccinated"... 12-17 Years Old First Dose Vaccination Rate at 19.2%

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Although one in four COVID-19 confirmed cases are children and adolescents, the vaccination rate among 12-15-year-olds falls far short of the government's expectations, leaving authorities struggling to find alternative measures. Initially, children and adolescents were not subject to mandatory vaccination, so no specific vaccination targets were set. However, as re-spread centered on children and adolescents has occurred overseas as well, measures to increase the vaccination rate are necessary.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, as of midnight on the 5th, the cumulative number of first-dose recipients reached 41,398,611, recording a vaccination rate of 80.6% of the population. For those aged 18 and over, the rate was 92.5%. The number of fully vaccinated individuals totaled 39,099,285, representing 76.1%, and 88.5% for those aged 18 and above. In contrast, the vaccination rate among children and adolescents remains low.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight the previous day, among 2,768,836 individuals aged 12-17, 531,594 had received the first dose, marking a vaccination rate of 19.2%. Among them, only 16,702 were fully vaccinated, accounting for a mere 0.6%. Of the 1,862,000 individuals aged 12-15 who began vaccinations on the 1st of this month, 537,517 have completed pre-registration, about 28.9%. Although reservations can be made until the 12th, at the current pace, the vaccination rate is likely to fall far short of the 65.4% rate seen among 16-17-year-olds who completed pre-registration earlier.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, expressed dismay the previous day, stating, "Considering the vaccination rates for national essential immunizations among children and adolescents, the participation rate in COVID-19 vaccinations is remarkably low." He added, "Although the government did not set a specific vaccination target for children and adolescents, it was expected that at least about half would participate." This is despite the social atmosphere encouraging active participation in vaccinations, unlike some European countries where vaccine refusal is observed.

This rate is notably lower even when compared to the current influenza (flu) vaccination rates. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's influenza vaccination status, as of midnight the previous day, among children aged 6 months to 13 years who require two doses, the first-dose vaccination rate was 53.8%, and for those requiring one dose, it was 49.8%, with more than half participating in vaccination.

Especially with the full return to school scheduled for the 22nd, the spread of group infections in schools and academies is expected to be inevitable. Among the 2,482 confirmed cases reported the previous day, adolescents aged 10 and under accounted for 22.4%, roughly one-quarter. Son emphasized, "Infections among children and adolescents in kindergartens and schools will spread in earnest going forward," adding, "Overseas, deaths among vaccinated children and adolescents are extremely rare, and the benefits of vaccination outweigh the inconveniences that must be endured when cases occur. It is important for parents to reduce their anxiety about vaccination."

As infections among children and adolescents increase recently, voices have emerged calling for the inclusion of youths aged 18 and under in the application of the vaccine pass for high-risk multi-use facilities such as indoor sports centers and karaoke rooms. Regarding this, health authorities stated, "We are not currently considering applying the vaccine pass to youths for these facilities." Son added, "For adolescents, we plan to review the application of the vaccine pass by evaluating the progress of vaccination rates and assessing the risk based on where and in what activities many infection cases occur."

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