Adolescents Receive Updated Vaccine, Over 200 on First Day... "I Didn't Know" "I Won't Get It"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byun Seon-jin] At A Internal Medicine Clinic in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, not a single adolescent aged 12 to 17, who became eligible for the winter season booster shot on the 12th, received the updated vaccine. A representative from A Internal Medicine Clinic said, “As the weather has recently gotten colder and confirmed cases have increased, the number of high-risk individuals aged 60 and over getting vaccinated has risen to double digits,” but added, “There were no phone inquiries at all regarding COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents.” The representative further commented, “Younger people tend to be less cautious about COVID-19, so many do not feel the necessity of the vaccine in their daily lives.”

Although the winter season updated vaccine, which can prevent infection from dominant COVID-19 variants, has become available to adolescents, participation remains low. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 13th, on the first day of expanding the winter season updated vaccine eligibility from those aged 18 and over to adolescents aged 12 to 17 on the 12th, a total of 232 adolescents aged 12 to 17 had been vaccinated as of 5 p.m. Adolescents aged 12 to 17 who have completed their 1st and 2nd primary vaccinations and whose last vaccination date was more than 90 days ago can receive the Pfizer updated vaccine targeting the Omicron BA.1, BA.4, and BA.5 variants.

Since the 1st to 3rd dose vaccination rates among adolescents aged 12 to 17 have been significantly lower than other age groups, many predicted that participation in the winter season booster would also be sluggish. As of midnight on the 13th, the 3rd dose vaccination rate for adolescents aged 12 to 17 was 11.5%, which is only about one-fifth of the rates for those in their 20s (60.8%) and 30s (59.8%), groups that also have relatively low vaccination rates compared to high-risk groups. This is analyzed to be due to the low 1st and 2nd dose primary vaccination rates resulting in fewer eligible individuals, and a greater emphasis placed on the potential side effects of vaccination rather than its infection prevention benefits. Some adolescents are even unaware that winter season COVID-19 vaccination has started for their age group.

The health authorities consider that while the fatality rate from COVID-19 infection is lower in adolescents compared to high-risk groups, the infection rate is higher. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among teenagers rose more than twofold from 430.7 per 100,000 population in the third week of October to 921.3 per 100,000 in the fifth week of November. The reinfection rate among teenagers is 17.7%, higher than the overall average of 13.3%. There have been 18 adolescent deaths due to COVID-19 infection (14 in high-risk groups). Vaccination is especially recommended for high-risk adolescents with chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other conditions. The health authorities emphasized that safety has been verified in overseas cases such as the United States, which started adolescent updated vaccines earlier. The U.S. has allowed updated vaccine administration for those aged 5 and older, while Canada, Japan, and others have permitted it for those aged 12 and older.

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