11 Additional Deaths Reviewed After Vaccination... "All Difficult to Recognize Causality"

On the 15th, elderly individuals aged 75 and above visited the COVID-19 vaccination center set up at Haenuri Town in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, to receive their vaccine shots. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Health authorities have reviewed the causes of death for 11 reported cases of death following COVID-19 vaccination in South Korea and concluded that all cases have a low likelihood of being related to the vaccine.

Seo Eun-sook, a member of the COVID-19 Vaccination Damage Investigation Team (professor at Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine), stated at a regular briefing on the 19th that regarding the 11 death cases, "Based on the data collected and analyzed so far, it is more likely that the deaths were caused by acute onset conditions such as pneumonia stemming from patients' underlying diseases, infections, and cerebral infarction, and the association with the vaccine is low. We concluded that it is difficult to recognize causality between adverse reactions after vaccination and death."

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, the Vaccination Damage Investigation Team held its 7th and 8th meetings on the 14th and 16th, respectively, reviewing a total of 30 reported adverse reaction cases after vaccination, including 11 death cases, 17 severe cases, and 2 suspected anaphylaxis cases.

The death cases reviewed this time were 11 cases reported from the 24th of last month to the 8th of this month following vaccination.

The age distribution of the deceased was ▲1 person in their 40s ▲1 person in their 60s ▲1 person in their 70s ▲6 people in their 80s ▲2 people in their 90s. Nine were residents or inpatients of nursing hospitals or care facilities, one was a patient admitted to a hospital-level medical institution, and one was an elderly person aged 75 or older.

The investigation team found that all 11 individuals had underlying diseases. The types of underlying diseases varied and included circulatory system, nervous system, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, mental and behavioral disorders, respiratory system, genitourinary system, and malignant neoplasms (cancer).

However, for two individuals currently undergoing autopsy at the National Forensic Service, the investigation team plans to review the final autopsy results and reconsider the evaluation.

The team also reviewed 17 suspected severe adverse reaction cases after vaccination during the meeting. The vaccinated individuals reported various symptoms such as elevated or lowered blood pressure, leg pain, difficulty breathing, and hemiplegia. The investigation team judged that it is difficult to recognize causality for all 17 cases.

However, for two suspected cases of severe systemic allergic reaction, 'anaphylaxis,' both were evaluated as having a high likelihood of being related to the vaccine. Seo explained, "In both cases, symptoms such as difficulty breathing, skin rash, swelling, and itching appeared within 10 minutes after vaccination, so they were judged to fall under anaphylactic reactions."