Cheon Eun-mi "Can't Get Vaccinated Due to Unique Constitution"... 'Vaccine Pass' Debate Rekindled

Professor Cheon Eun-mi "Only one dose for health reasons... Understand the anxiety"
"Violation of basic rights" vs "High infection risk" Heated debate over quarantine pass
Expanded to department stores and large marts from the 10th
Vaccination exemption can be confirmed but issuance conditions are strict
Medical community also divided
Professor Lee Jae-gap "Vaccine's preventive effect is much more important"

On the 3rd, a notice regarding vaccination completion verification was posted in front of a restaurant in Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital revealed that she has only completed the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, sparking heated controversy over the "quarantine pass (vaccination certificate and negative test confirmation system)." Critics argue that people with sensitive constitutions to vaccines, like Professor Cheon, are being effectively forced to get vaccinated. Since the quarantine pass is scheduled to be widely applied to daily life venues such as large supermarkets and department stores, the controversy is expected to continue for some time.

◆Professor Cheon: "I could only get the first dose due to health reasons... I understand the anxiety about vaccines well"

On the 31st of last month, during an appearance on YTN's "News Live," Professor Cheon stated, "For health reasons, I could only get the first dose," and added, "If the quarantine pass is enforced at places where I buy daily necessities, I actually would not be able to enter."

The reason Professor Cheon could only receive one dose is known to be due to her unique constitution sensitive to antibiotics and other medications. She explained, "About ten years ago, after receiving another vaccine and being hospitalized, my white blood cell count became lower than normal," and added, "So I understand very well the anxiety and side effects many people feel about vaccines."

Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital revealed that she has a unique constitution with fewer white blood cells than normal. / Photo by YTN Broadcasting Capture

In an interview with YTN's "News Q" on the 3rd, Professor Cheon also described the symptoms she experienced after the first dose, saying, "After getting vaccinated, side effects such as dizziness severe enough to disrupt daily life, vision deterioration, and numbness persisted for a considerable period."

She noted, "These side effects can occur in people with special constitutions like mine, but I understand that most people do not have problems," and pointed out the need to establish new vaccination standards for the minority with unique constitutions.

◆"Quarantine pass infringes on basic rights" vs. "Are you saying do nothing?" Citizens debate fiercely

Following Professor Cheon's interview, a heated debate over the quarantine pass has deepened among citizens. Criticism has arisen that even those physically burdened by vaccines are being forced to get vaccinated.

A 28-year-old office worker, Mr. A, said, "I think there can be plenty of people who cannot get vaccinated due to unique constitutions or underlying diseases. How unfair would it be for such people to be denied entry to restaurants or cafes just because they are unvaccinated? Isn't that an infringement of basic rights?"

On the other hand, there was also a counterargument that rapid vaccination through the quarantine pass benefits society as a whole. Another office worker, Mr. B, 31, said, "If the quarantine pass is removed, the risk of infection will increase significantly, and fewer people will want to get vaccinated," and asked, "COVID-19 is still a major crisis; are you telling the government to do nothing?"

On the 3rd, a quarantine pass notice was posted at a restaurant in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do. / Photo by Yonhap News

A housewife in her 50s, Ms. C, said, "There may be people who cannot get vaccinated due to their constitution, but aren't they a very small minority?" and argued, "Exceptions can be made for such people; it doesn't seem like a big enough issue to change the current policy."

◆Quarantine pass expanded to cafes and large supermarkets... controversy ongoing

Earlier, the government expanded the quarantine pass application to indoor multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, academies, and PC rooms in the "Special Quarantine Measures" announced on the 3rd of last month. Starting from the 10th, a guidance period for applying the quarantine pass will be implemented in large supermarkets and department stores as well. This means it will be applied broadly across daily life.

Additionally, from the 3rd, a "6-month validity period" was applied. It is generally known that the protective effect of vaccines lasts about six months. Accordingly, the validity period of the quarantine pass is also limited to six months. Citizens who have completed the second dose must receive a third booster shot to use the quarantine pass after six months have passed.

To use multi-use facilities or supermarkets without a quarantine pass, one must submit a negative confirmation obtained through a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. However, the negative confirmation is only valid until midnight of the day 48 hours after the specimen test notification, requiring periodic testing. Considering the waiting time for PCR test results, significant inconvenience is expected.

Only those with a "unique constitution" who find it difficult to get vaccinated can obtain a "vaccination certificate exemption confirmation" from public health centers to substitute for the quarantine pass. However, vaccination exemptions are limited to patients with a history of severe allergic reactions to vaccine components, those who experienced serious adverse reactions such as anaphylaxis after the first dose, and similar cases.

On the afternoon of the 4th, an official is posting a notice about the 'Suspension of the Quarantine Pass' at a study cafe in Sinchon, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. On the same day, the Administrative 8th Division of the Seoul Administrative Court (Chief Judge Lee Jong-hwan) partially accepted the injunction (suspension of effect) request filed by some civic groups against the Minister of Health and Welfare. / Photo by Yonhap News

Given these circumstances, criticism that the quarantine pass effectively forces citizens to get vaccinated has been continuously raised. This controversy has even escalated to legal disputes.

Civil organizations such as the National Parents' Association Coalition filed a lawsuit and requested a suspension of enforcement at the Seoul Administrative Court on the 17th of last month, arguing that "the quarantine pass effectively mandates vaccination for adolescents, infringing on freedoms and parental rights to education."

The court partially accepted the suspension request on the 4th, announcing that the quarantine pass policy's effect will be suspended until the first trial verdict is delivered. In response, the government stated it will consult with the Ministry of Justice and decide whether to appeal.

◆Medical community divided: "Effective vaccination coercion" vs. "Protection effect more important"

Opinions on the quarantine pass policy are also divided within the medical community. On the 31st of last month, about 1,000 medical professionals and citizens, including Professor Jo Doo-hyung of Yeungnam University College of Medicine, filed a lawsuit at the Seoul Administrative Court requesting cancellation of the quarantine pass disposition.

In their statement, they claimed, "The COVID-19 vaccine, which has not undergone proper clinical trials, was effectively forced upon people," and argued, "Unvaccinated individuals are discriminated against without reasonable grounds, excessively infringing on basic rights to the extent that daily life becomes impossible."

More than 60 organizations, including the National Parents' Association Coalition, held a protest rally on the 9th of last month in front of the Disease Control Headquarters in Osong, Chungbuk, demanding the withdrawal of the youth quarantine pass. / Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, some emphasize the vaccine's protective effect far outweighs side effects and repeatedly urge vaccination.

Professor Lee Jae-gap of Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital's Department of Infectious Diseases posted on his Facebook on the 4th, "People ask about my and my family's vaccination status. I have already uploaded records of the second dose on the quarantine pass app, but I think I should also upload the third dose record. My wife has received the third dose, and our three children have completed the second dose."

Along with this, he shared a screenshot of the application (app) showing his booster shot vaccination record.

He continued, "We already know the effectiveness of the vaccine," and emphasized, "Regarding adverse reactions, it's not that there are no adverse reactions, but the vaccine's preventive and severe disease prevention effects are much more important than the adverse reactions."

He added, "We have repeatedly emphasized that the government needs to conduct thorough investigations and provide compensation for severe adverse reactions, whether causality is proven or difficult to prove," and urged, "I hope there will be no more cases where people hesitate due to unscientific claims and remain at risk."

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