Authorities: "Over 80% of COVID-19 Cases from April to August This Year Were Unvaccinated"

On the 24th, when the first dose vaccination rate for COVID-19 in Korea surpassed 50 percent, citizens visiting the COVID-19 vaccination center set up at Bukahyeon Cultural Center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, received their vaccines. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] From April to August this year, more than 8 out of 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea were among unvaccinated individuals.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 24th, an analysis of a total of 105,255 confirmed cases aged 18 and over from April 3 to August 14 this year revealed that 87.9% (92,500 people) were unvaccinated.

During the same period, among 2,301 severe cases, 1,954 were unvaccinated, accounting for 84.9%, and among 323 deaths, 266 were unvaccinated, making up 82.4%.

Additionally, comparing the incidence rates of COVID-19 between the unvaccinated group of 21,908,930 and the fully vaccinated group within the population aged 18 and over of 44,118,077, the vaccine infection prevention effectiveness was 82.6% in the fully vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group.

There were 2,383 confirmed cases in the fully vaccinated group, with an incidence rate of 0.55 per 100,000 person-days (the sum of individual follow-up periods), while the unvaccinated group had 92,500 confirmed cases, with an incidence rate of 3.18 per 100,000 person-days.

The infection prevention effectiveness by age group was 96.5% for those aged 60 and over, and 69% for those under 60.

The lower infection prevention effectiveness in those under 60 is presumed to be due to younger people having more outdoor activities and higher exposure to infection, as well as lower vaccination rates.

Furthermore, an analysis of severity among 65,347 confirmed COVID-19 cases from May 1 to July 24 showed an overall severe case rate of 2.17%.

The age-standardized severe case rates were 2.40% for the unvaccinated group, 0.97% for the partially vaccinated group, and 0.35% for the fully vaccinated group, indicating a severe disease prevention effectiveness of 85.4%.

During the same period, the fatality rate according to vaccination status was 0.33%, with 216 deaths among 65,347 confirmed cases. The age-standardized fatality rates were 0.42% for the unvaccinated group, 0.09% for the partially vaccinated group, and 0.01% for the fully vaccinated group, resulting in a death prevention effectiveness of 97.3%.