1500 Elderly Deaths Within 7 Days After Flu Vaccination Last Year... "Deaths Unrelated to Vaccine" (Comprehensive)

Analysis Linking KDCA Vaccination System and Statistics Korea Data
Over 11 Deaths per 100,000 Elderly Within a Week Also Reported in the US

Citizens are receiving flu vaccinations at the Korea Health Management Association Seoul Western Branch in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Last year, among the elderly aged 65 and over, about 1,500 people died within a week after receiving the influenza (flu) vaccination. This figure does not establish a causal relationship between the vaccine and death but simply counts how many deaths occurred within a time interval after vaccination. Recently, concerns about the flu vaccine have increased due to a series of deaths following vaccination; however, health authorities and experts unanimously state that the possibility of death caused by the vaccine is almost nonexistent.

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said at a briefing on the 24th, "During the last vaccination season (2019?2020), about 1,500 people aged 65 and over died within seven days after receiving the flu vaccine," adding, "This is a simple statistic of deaths following vaccination regardless of any causal relationship."

According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2013, which examined vaccinated populations and mortality rates, the number of deaths tends to increase with age. Among all age groups, about 6 people per 100,000 died within a week after vaccination; in the 65?74 age group, it was 11.3 per 100,000; in the 75?84 age group, more than double at 23.2 per 100,000; and in the 85 and older group, 83.1 per 100,000 died.

In Korea, there has been no direct study on this trend yet, but as deaths following vaccination have increased recently, the KDCA analyzed data by linking the vaccination system it manages directly with statistics from the National Statistical Office. Cases where a causal relationship between the flu vaccine and death was indirectly confirmed are extremely rare domestically, with only one case in 2009. At that time, a person who received the flu vaccine developed Miller-Fisher syndrome, a severe adverse reaction, was hospitalized, and died about four months later due to complications.

On the 22nd, at Seoul Dongbu Hospital in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, fewer people than usual are registering to receive flu vaccinations. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Government: "No Causal Relationship Between Vaccination and Death"
Vaccination Schedule to Proceed as Planned Without Adjustment or Suspension

Among the 26 deaths reported up to the 22nd, the government concluded that most had no causal link to the flu vaccination. Of the 26, six were confirmed to have died from illness or suffocation and were not autopsied, while the remaining 20 have undergone or are undergoing autopsy. Preliminary autopsy results indicate these deaths were due to cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases or other illnesses. Considering these factors, the government plans to continue the vaccination schedule as planned without suspension or adjustment.

Commissioner Jung said, "There are about six cases where autopsies confirmed diseases such as aortic dissection or cerebral hemorrhage severe enough to cause death, and for the others, final judgments are being made by comprehensively reviewing tissue and blood tests," adding, "To determine if death was caused by the vaccine, it is necessary to check for redness or inflammation at the injection site to see if the first symptoms appeared due to that." She further stated, "Some tests are being conducted to confirm immune side effects caused by the vaccine, but it is difficult to specifically identify vaccine-related deaths through autopsy."

This year, interest in vaccination has increased due to COVID-19, and controversies surrounding the vaccine, such as transportation issues and white particles, have led to a clear trend of many people rushing to get vaccinated early. On the 19th and the following day, when free vaccinations for the elderly began, about 2.9 million seniors were vaccinated. This accounts for more than a quarter of the total 10.65 million eligible recipients. This is about one million more than the same period last year, according to government analysis.

Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, photo right), and Kim Jung-gon, Emeritus Professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine (Head of the Vaccine Injury Investigation Team, Director of Pediatrics at Seoul Medical Center), are answering questions after a briefing on influenza vaccination on the 24th.

Authorities and Experts: "Elderly at Higher Risk of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases in Winter"
Avoid Long Waits or Outdoor Waiting During Vaccination
"Severe Adverse Reactions Are Manageable If Medical Guidelines Are Followed"

It is said that the rush at the beginning of vaccination was due to concerns about vaccine shortages, but the medical community worries about unintended side effects if many elderly people get vaccinated early. This is because they might have to wait a long time at medical institutions or wait outside in cold weather. Commissioner Jung said, "It is common for deaths from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases to increase in winter due to blood vessel constriction from cold temperatures or sudden temperature changes," adding, "Going to a medical institution early in the morning and waiting a long time or waiting outside in cold weather could increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases."

Meanwhile, as of the day before yesterday, 48 deaths (including 3 deaths after severe adverse reaction reports) following vaccination have been reported, an increase of 12 from the previous day. So far, health authorities believe it is difficult to consider these deaths as caused by the vaccine. Among them, 5 were under 60 years old, and 43 were 60 or older. There have been 1,154 reports of adverse reactions including mild symptoms such as allergies, fever, and local reactions. No cases of acute hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis) have been identified.

Professor Kim Joong-gon, Honorary Professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine and head of the Vaccine Injury Investigation Team, said, "Anaphylaxis and Guillain-Barr? syndrome are rare adverse reactions, but there is no need to be overly afraid, and if medical institutions' measures are followed, there is no problem," adding, "The causes of death have been investigated, but they are not believed to be directly related to vaccination, and if a few safety precautions are observed, vaccination can be received without major issues."