AZ Vaccine Inoculation Resumes from Tomorrow... Except for Those Under 30 (Update)

"Under 30, Vaccination Benefits Not Significant Compared to Rare Thrombosis Risk"

On the 2nd, a medical staff member at Mapo-gu Public Health Center in Seoul is busy filling syringes with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine ahead of vaccination for health and medical organization leaders. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team announced on the 11th that the administration of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine, which had been temporarily postponed or put on hold, will resume on the 12th. However, those under 30 years old are excluded from the AZ vaccine administration. This measure reflects the analysis results based on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and others classifying rare thrombosis as a side effect of the AZ vaccine.

Since the 8th, the Promotion Team has held expert consultations and the Vaccination Expert Committee to review domestic and international trends, including the EMA announcement, and prepared this AZ vaccine administration plan. On the 7th, considering the safety concerns regarding the causal relationship between the AZ vaccine and thrombosis accompanied by thrombocytopenia (rare thrombosis), the team postponed the start of some vaccinations. At that time, the vaccination start for special education and health teachers, as well as infection-vulnerable facilities, was delayed, and vaccination for those under 60 years old among the AZ vaccine target groups was temporarily put on hold.

In particular, the Promotion Team and experts explained that they prioritized public safety and aimed to derive a scientific and safe vaccination plan through risk-benefit analysis by age and group, referring to cases in the United Kingdom.

According to this decision, the second-quarter vaccination schedule will resume as planned from the 12th. Vaccinations will begin for special education, childcare for children with disabilities, infection-vulnerable facilities, whose vaccination start was postponed, and for those under 60 years old in nursing hospitals, nursing facilities, and medical institutions at the hospital level or higher.

However, those under 30 years old are excluded from the AZ vaccine administration. It was judged that for those under 30, the risk of rare thrombosis potentially induced by vaccination outweighs the benefits of vaccination. The United Kingdom also recommends other vaccines for those under 30 without underlying conditions based on similar analysis results.

Furthermore, a surveillance system for early detection and treatment of rare thrombosis will be established, and diagnostic and treatment response capabilities will be strengthened through case sharing with related academic societies such as the Thrombosis Society and the Neuroscience Society. Since thrombosis can prevent severe deterioration and death if detected and treated early, the Promotion Team plans to supplement the guidance for vaccine recipients so that those vaccinated can recognize adverse reactions early and seek medical care promptly.

Those who have already completed the first dose will proceed with the second dose as scheduled regardless of age. Among those who received the first dose of the AZ vaccine without rare thrombosis-related side effects, the second dose will also be administered with the same vaccine.