"I Won't Get Vaccinated"…Fear Spreads Amid Reports of Consecutive Adverse Reactions

Concerns Over Vaccination Rise Amid Reports of Side Effects
"Fighting for Life" Petitions Flood In
Experts Urge Government to Take More Active Role

As the government has set a goal to raise the first-dose vaccination rate to 70% by Chuseok, citizens are waiting to receive vaccines at the vaccination center set up at Chungmu Sports Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 30th. According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team on the day, the total number of people who have received the first dose of the vaccine is 28,641,079, accounting for 55.8% of the total population. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Min Juhwan (34, pseudonym), an office worker scheduled to receive a vaccine shot in mid-month, has been deeply worried lately. Originally, he wanted to get vaccinated even with a 'no-show vaccine,' but his thoughts have recently changed. The number of people reporting adverse symptoms after vaccination is increasing, and seeing his younger brother's side effects has heightened his fear.

Office worker Kwon Jisoo (32, pseudonym) decided to postpone vaccination and observe the situation a bit longer. Kwon said, "It's possible that I might experience the scary side effects I've only heard about," adding, "Moreover, the fear of having to handle the aftermath alone if causality is not recognized is also significant."

Cases of sudden serious illnesses or deaths following COVID-19 vaccination have been reported one after another, causing unvaccinated individuals to express anxiety. Many people still have not decided whether to get vaccinated. This atmosphere is especially widespread among younger generations.

The Blue House's public petition board has been flooded with posts claiming severe conditions due to vaccine side effects. These include a petition from a younger sister seeking help because her 24-year-old elementary school teacher sibling is in critical condition after the first Pfizer vaccine dose, and a family's appeal that a previously healthy mid-30s Taekwondo instructor was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia after vaccination. On the 30th of last month, a man in his 50s in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, suddenly died after receiving the second Pfizer vaccine dose, and on the 28th of the same month, a woman in her 50s in Incheon died three days after receiving the Pfizer vaccine.

As the government sets a goal to raise the first-dose vaccination rate to 70% by Chuseok, citizens who received the vaccine are waiting in the adverse reaction monitoring area at the vaccination center set up at Chungmu Sports Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 30th. According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team on the day, the total number of people who have received the first dose of the vaccine is 28,641,079, accounting for 55.8% of the total population. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The spread of 'vaccine phobia' is partly due to the perception that it is difficult to prove causality between vaccination and adverse symptoms. As of the 23rd of last month, the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team's Adverse Event Investigation Unit reviewed 1,833 cumulative reported cases and recognized causality in only 212 cases. Among 536 reported deaths after vaccination, causality was acknowledged in just two cases.

Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "In serious cases such as leukemia diagnosis or death after vaccination, thorough investigation and clearer explanations seem necessary," adding, "Providing clear guidelines on how to respond and act regarding each possible side effect after vaccination could reduce anxiety."

Meanwhile, according to the Promotion Team, as of the 30th of last month, the total number of first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations in South Korea reached 29,031,142, accounting for 56.5% of the total population (51,349,116 as of last December). The number of people who completed the second dose was 15,218,638, about 29.6% of the population.

The vaccination reservation rate among young adults aged 18 to 49 is 68.9%, with 10,238,220 out of 14,862,595 eligible individuals having made reservations. By age group, those in their 40s had the highest rate at 74.7%, followed by those in their 20s at 68.9%, late teens at 67.2%, and those in their 30s at 62.0%.