Vaccinated Twice in the US and Twice in Korea... "Vaccination Certificate Issued by Korean Health Authorities Required"
Vaccination certificate received in the United States (left), vaccination certificate received in Korea (right). Mr. A received a total of four doses of the Pfizer vaccine. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Due to the lack of linkage between COVID-19 vaccination records in Korea and overseas countries, a man in his 40s in Korea received the vaccine four times, drawing public attention. It is presumed that this man is the first in Korea to have been vaccinated four times.
According to a report by Yonhap News on the 26th, the man in his 40s, Mr. A, was identified as having received the Pfizer vaccine four times. Twice in the United States in April and May, and twice domestically in September and on the 18th of this month, totaling four doses.
Mr. A, who was staying in the U.S. for business this year, learned that those who completed vaccination were exempt from the two-week quarantine period upon entry. Having received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the U.S., he became a fully vaccinated person.
After returning to Korea from the U.S., Mr. A had another overseas business trip scheduled next month. When he showed the vaccination card received in the U.S. and requested a "vaccination certificate," the health authorities did not issue one, citing that certificates are not issued based on vaccination records received overseas.
Ultimately, to prepare for his departure next month, Mr. A received two more doses of the Pfizer vaccine on the 27th of last month and the 18th of this month. To do this, he falsely recorded on the documents submitted to the health authorities at the time of vaccination that he had never been vaccinated before.
Mr. A said, "I had to take the risk just to get one document issued," adding, "When I explained the situation to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, they were surprised and said, 'It's dangerous. You shouldn't do that.'" Fortunately, it is reported that Mr. A did not experience any side effects from receiving four doses of the vaccine.
A representative from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency stated, "This is the first time we have heard of someone receiving four doses of the COVID vaccine," and added, "Vaccination certificates are issued to anyone who has been vaccinated in Korea regardless of nationality, but certificates are not issued based on vaccination records from overseas."
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