Infectious Disease Experts Say "Adjustments Needed for Youth Quarantine Pass, Excluding Hagwon"

Acknowledging the Need for Vaccine Pass but Mentioning Exclusion of 'Hagwon'
Professor Choi Eun-hwa: "Hagwon and Schools Are Almost the Same Concept, Need Adjustment"
Professor Jung Jae-hoon: "Must Explore Other Policy Alternatives to Increase Vaccination Rate"
Professor Lee Jae-gap: "Europe Also Applies Vaccine Pass for Children and Adolescents, Raising Vaccination Rates"
Concerns Over Cost and Inconvenience of Screening Tests for Negative Certificates

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Infectious disease experts have expressed opinions that adjustments are needed to exclude private academies from the scope of the COVID-19 vaccine pass applied to children and adolescents. While acknowledging the inevitability of policies aimed at increasing vaccination rates, they emphasized the need for supplementary measures to minimize backlash.

At a meeting on the 13th between the Ministry of Education press corps and infectious disease experts, Professor Choi Eun-hwa of Seoul National University said, "The vaccination rate may increase due to the strong policy of the vaccine pass, but the opposition from parents has become stronger," adding, "We need to reconsider whether to apply it to private academies, which are considered essential facilities for children."

Experts also say "Vaccine pass is necessary, but detailed adjustments are needed"

On the 6th, as the quarantine pass (vaccination certificate or negative test confirmation) is newly applied to indoor multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, academies, and PC rooms, there is strong opposition to the application of the quarantine pass to adolescents. On this day, a notice regarding 'Facilities Mandatory for Quarantine Pass' is posted at a study cafe in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The experts attending the meeting agreed with the purpose of introducing the vaccine pass but said the scope of application needs to be revised. The plan to apply the vaccine pass to adolescents aged 12 to 18 at private academies, study rooms, and study cafes starting next February has faced strong backlash, as it is seen as coercion to vaccinate. Experts suggested that the pace of implementation should be moderated due to the strong opposition.

Professor Choi explained, "In Korea, private academies and schools are almost the same concept, so adjustments are needed regarding the expansion to private academies," adding, "If the necessity for vaccination has increased enough to expand the vaccine pass to that extent, more time for persuasion and explanation is required."

Professor Lee Jae-gap of Hallym University said, "I think the vaccine pass is an unavoidable choice to increase vaccination rates, and I agree with the purpose of its implementation," adding, "Europe has also partially applied vaccine passes to children and adolescents, contributing to increased vaccination rates."

Professor Jung Jae-hoon of Gachon University explained, "The adolescent vaccine pass clearly aims to increase vaccination rates. We also need to see if other policy alternatives to boost vaccination rates are being provided," adding, "It is more important to continuously provide opportunities to explain vaccine efficacy and safety and reassure the public with data."

There are also criticisms that applying the vaccine pass to private academies and study rooms is excessive, given that masks are removed less frequently there compared to restaurants or cafes.

Regarding this, Professor Jung said, "Although masks are worn well, the long duration of stay means that schools and private academies account for a significant proportion of infection routes," adding, "I remain neutral on whether the necessity is higher than other spaces or whether the vaccine pass will be effective."

Professor Lee said, "Private academies, study rooms, and study cafes are often small and poorly ventilated. While restaurants or cafes last about an hour at most, during exam periods, students stay for 5 to 6 hours," adding, "Since eating and drinking situations overlap, it is hard to say it is not risky."

However, concerns have been raised that many people will flock to screening clinics to submit negative test certificates for adolescents without vaccine passes, causing inconvenience.

In response, Professor Choi said, "It would be good to have a reliable testing method that can be done easily and comfortably at home, but the fundamental problem is the lack of trustworthy tests," adding, "Even if the number of infections decreases, crises like the current one can happen anytime. We need to discuss long-term plans on whether to repeatedly test everyone and close schools each time."

To persuade parents... Emphasizing the importance of 'vaccine benefits and side effect information'

On the 10th, as 7,022 new COVID-19 cases were reported, marking the third consecutive day with over 7,000 cases, citizens visiting the temporary screening clinic set up at Seogang University Station Plaza in Mapo-gu, Seoul, are waiting to get tested. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Experts believe that rather than strong measures like the vaccine pass, providing information about vaccination effects and side effects is essential to increase vaccination rates.

Experts consistently emphasized that the risk after infection is greater than adverse reactions after vaccination, so vaccination is necessary. Professor Lee explained that among adverse reactions in 12-17-year-old vaccine recipients, the incidence of myocarditis is lower in younger children and recovery is faster than in cases after infection.

Professor Lee said, "In Korea, the incidence of myocarditis is slightly higher in 16-17-year-olds than in 12-15-year-olds. According to US CDC data, recovery from vaccine-induced myocarditis is fastest within 5 days, while recovery from COVID-19 infection was slower and more difficult. Data also shows that hospitalization rates for unvaccinated 12-17-year-olds increased more than tenfold."

Professor Jung said, "Various studies on adverse reactions have been published overseas, and even looking at myocarditis alone, the rate caused by COVID-19 infection is higher than that after vaccination," adding, "There is a tendency for political debates to merge with quarantine and medical fields, and unless this issue is resolved, it will be difficult to increase vaccination rates."

When comparing adverse reaction reporting rates after vaccination, adolescents report fewer than adults. Professor Choi explained, "The adverse reaction reporting rate per 100,000 people under 18 is about two-thirds that of adults, and 98-99% of reports are mild. There is no significant difference between adults and children/adolescents," adding, "Myocarditis is the most common adverse reaction in children, with the highest incidence in 14-16-year-olds, and there are no other adverse reactions reported more frequently in children and adolescents."

Professor Choi added, "Nothing is perfect in treatment or prevention, and side effects are inevitable. What matters is how frequently they occur and whether they can be managed. The biggest problem in adolescent vaccination is that balanced information about efficacy and side effects is not being conveyed to children," adding, "There are adverse reactions unrelated to children, such as claims that vaccination causes death or leukemia, and these must be actively addressed."

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