"One Week Before Enlistment"... A 20s Pfizer Vaccination Recipient Diagnosed with a Rare Disease, A Sudden Shock

20s Male in Seoul Diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis After Vaccination

Adverse Reaction Within a Week... Currently in ICU
Military Enlistment Postponed... Guardian Says "Who Can Get Vaccinated with Peace of Mind?"
Similar Cases Reported on National Petition Board
Victims' Group Demands "Causality Recognition and Damage Compensation"

On the first day of COVID-19 vaccination for ages 18 to 49, on the 26th, a citizen is receiving a vaccine at the vaccination center set up at Sadang Sports Complex in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] News that a healthy man in his 20s experienced a severe adverse reaction after vaccination and was diagnosed with a rare disease within a week has saddened those around him.

According to the family of Mr. A (21) living in Seocho-gu, Seoul, he visited a local clinic on the 8th of this month and completed his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. There were no issues on the day of vaccination, but adverse reactions began to appear from the third day. Initially experiencing symptoms similar to a cold or flu, Mr. A soon reached a point where he could not eat. He visited a hospital but was told it was suspected to be the flu and was sent home. When his fever rose to between 39 and 40 degrees Celsius, he underwent a COVID-19 test just in case, but the result was negative.

On the seventh day after vaccination, the 14th, his symptoms worsened. When jaundice appeared all over his face, Mr. A’s parents immediately took him to a general hospital and admitted him. Subsequent tests to find the cause were conducted, but the diagnosis was not easily determined. During this time, his fever did not subside, and his symptoms showed no signs of improvement.

Eventually, only after a bone marrow biopsy was performed was a diagnosis made, and the result was shocking. Mr. A was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a rare disease unfamiliar to many. This disease, one of the immune deficiency disorders, has a high mortality rate.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Currently, Mr. A has been transferred to the intensive care unit of a university hospital and is receiving treatment, but his symptoms are not improving. Mr. A is 183 cm tall with a robust physique and had no underlying health conditions before. He was originally scheduled to enlist in the military on the 20th of this month, but this incident forced a postponement of his enlistment.

Mr. A’s father said, "I searched various sources to find the cause and even found recent foreign papers suggesting that such a disease could develop triggered by vaccination," adding, "Our priority is to care for our child, so we have not reported this to the quarantine authorities yet." He continued, "Naturally, we cannot help but suspect the vaccine, but considering previous cases, it is nearly impossible for an individual to prove causality. The government should conduct a clear investigation and transparently disclose what needs to be disclosed. If they claim there is no causal relationship whenever side effects occur, who would feel safe getting vaccinated?"

Since the start of COVID-19 vaccinations, such cases have been ongoing. The day before, a petition was posted on the Blue House’s public petition board stating that a high school student developed leg paralysis after receiving the Pfizer vaccine and is undergoing treatment. There was also an appeal from a family whose high school daughter’s health deteriorated so severely after vaccination that she required a liver transplant. Last month, news emerged of a 20-year-old soldier who contracted a rare disease after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in the military and was discharged early.

On the other hand, investigations into causality or identification of causes related to vaccine side effects remain at a standstill. The COVID-19 Vaccine Victims’ Families Association (Kobaekhoe), a group of families of victims who died or suffered severe illnesses after COVID-19 vaccination, held a rally near Gangwon Provincial Office on the 22nd, demanding government recognition of causality and compensation for damages.

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