[2020 National Audit] Park Neung-hoo "Sorry for Flu Vaccine Issue"... Jung Eun-kyung "No Suspension of Vaccination"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] On the 22nd, Park Neung-hoo, Minister of Health and Welfare, expressed his deep regret regarding the consecutive deaths following influenza (flu) vaccinations, saying, "I am truly sorry that there have been various unfortunate incidents related to the vaccine."

At the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee's audit held that morning, Minister Park stated, "I fully empathize with the public's concerns about the vaccine issues and express my deep regret."

Regarding the repeated problems occurring from the distribution process to the administration of the flu vaccine, he said, "Various government ministries are involved in the entire process from production, distribution, to vaccination, and we will thoroughly review this matter once again."

However, health authorities maintained their existing stance to continue the vaccination program, as no causal link between the vaccinations and deaths has yet been confirmed.

In response to opposition party calls to "halt vaccinations until vaccine safety is verified," Jeong Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said at the session, "The likelihood of a connection between vaccination and death is quite low," adding, "According to KDCA and experts' assessments, the situation does not warrant stopping vaccinations."

Director Jeong stated, "We conducted telephone surveys with individuals who received the same vaccine product at the same medical institution on the same date, and aside from mild reactions, no severe cases were reported," adding, "It is necessary to investigate the cause of death through medical record reviews and autopsies and to examine causality. The autopsy is expected to take about two weeks."

As of that morning, the number of deaths following flu vaccination had risen to 16. After the first death was reported in Incheon, deaths among flu vaccine recipients were confirmed in Gochang, Daejeon, Daegu, Jeju, Gwangmyeong, Goyang, Andong, and on that day also in Daejeon, Seongju in North Gyeongsang Province, and Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province.