Citizens Concerned "'Nth Dose'?" as Government Considers 4th COVID-19 Shot for Immunocompromised

Government "Considering 4th Dose for Immunocompromised... Undecided for General Public"
Israel Expands 4th COVID-19 Vaccine Dose to All Over 60
Citizens Concerned "Will 4th Dose Be Extended to General Public?"

A citizen is receiving a vaccine at the vaccination center set up in Sadang Sports Complex, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Asia Economy DB.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As the government announced on the 4th that it is considering administering a 4th COVID-19 vaccine dose to immunocompromised individuals who have completed their 3rd dose, public backlash is intensifying. With many people avoiding the 3rd dose due to concerns about vaccine side effects, mentioning a 4th dose is increasing public fatigue.

Some worry that since the preventive effect of the vaccine decreases over time, the government might soon consider 'nth doses' for the general public as well. The government dismissed this, stating that while they are reviewing overseas cases regarding the 4th dose for the general public, it is not yet at the stage of deciding whether to implement it.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH), said at the regular COVID-19 briefing that day, "There may be cases where immunocompromised individuals do not acquire immunity even after receiving the 2nd or 3rd COVID-19 vaccine doses, and we are discussing additional vaccinations for these individuals with experts." Immunocompromised individuals refer to patients suffering from acute or chronic leukemia, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, cancer, or those receiving immunosuppressive therapy due to organ transplants.

Online communities have expressed concerns about the 4th dose. One netizen said, "The 4th dose is already being talked about. The 3rd dose isn't even fully completed yet, so why is the 4th dose under consideration already?" Other netizens responded with comments such as, "It feels like we'll be getting it every year like the flu shot," "It's scary how many doses they want us to get," "We haven't even had the 3rd dose yet, and now they're talking about the 4th," and "Isn't the 4th dose going to be expanded from immunocompromised individuals to the general public?"

Earlier, the government announced plans to secure additional budget in preparation for the possibility of a 4th vaccine dose. On the morning of the 29th of last month, the government and the Democratic Party held the '2nd COVID-19 Emergency Countermeasures Headquarters Party-Government Meeting' at the National Assembly. At the meeting, the government stated that although they currently have 900 million vaccine doses prepared, they intend to secure a vaccine purchase budget exceeding the current 3.2 trillion won in anticipation of the 4th dose possibility.

Recently, voices expressing concerns about the fourth vaccination have continued on online communities. Photo by Online Community Screenshot.

Meanwhile, several countries have already administered or are considering the 4th vaccine dose. Israel, for example, became the first in the world to expand the 4th dose to all elderly people aged 60 and over. According to foreign media including Bloomberg News, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced at a press conference on the 2nd (local time) that the 4th COVID-19 vaccine dose would begin for those aged 60 and above. Previously, Israel had approved the 4th dose for immunocompromised individuals and elderly residents in nursing homes and senior care facilities.

The United Kingdom has also started the 4th dose for patients with weakened immune systems. Germany's Health Minister Karl Lauterbach reportedly emphasized the necessity of the 4th dose, saying it can prevent the Omicron variant.

However, there are considerable concerns about the 4th dose. The New York Times (NYT) reported, "Some scientists warn that receiving too many vaccine doses could fatigue the immune system, potentially impairing the body's ability to fight the coronavirus, resulting in adverse effects."

On the 3rd, citizens waiting to get tested at a temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul City Hall Plaza. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Given this situation, public reaction to 'nth doses' is skeptical. Even those who have completed the 1st and 2nd doses respond negatively to the idea of nth doses. Many who experienced breakthrough infections despite additional doses and those who suffered various side effects during vaccination are reluctant to receive further doses.

Kim, a worker in his 20s who completed the 2nd COVID-19 vaccine dose, said, "I'm scared to get the 3rd dose because of side effects, so the idea of considering a 4th dose frightens me. When the vaccine was first developed, there was hope that vaccination alone would end COVID-19. But now, after completing the 1st and 2nd doses, the situation has worsened or at best not improved."

Online, some posts criticize the 'nth dose' concept. One netizen sarcastically labeled the doses as follows: 3rd 'booster shot,' 4th 'final shot,' 5th 'finish shot,' 6th 'the end shot,' and 7th 'lucky shot.'

Meanwhile, the government has drawn a clear line, stating that the 4th dose for the general public is only under review based on overseas cases and that no decision has been made regarding implementation.

Son said, "We are currently in the phase of actively promoting the 3rd dose, and especially, further analysis is needed to determine how effective the vaccination will be against the Omicron variant, which is expected to become dominant. Whether or not to proceed with the 4th dose is still undecided."

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