Over 4 Weeks, Pediatric and Adolescent COVID Cases Surpass Adults... Yoo Eun-hye Urges "Please Participate in Vaccination"

In the past 4 weeks, 99.7 cases per 100,000 children and adolescents > 76.0 adults
Unvaccinated 0-17 age group incidence 27.4, higher than adults (19.8)
Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye holds emergency expert advisory meeting... urges "active participation in vaccination"

On the morning of the 22nd, after more than two years since the COVID-19 outbreak, kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide began full in-person attendance. Students are attending school at Changwon Elementary School in Dobong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

In the past four weeks, the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 children and adolescents has surpassed that of adults.

On the 25th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye held an emergency advisory meeting with infectious disease experts at the Government Seoul Office. The purpose was to receive advice on strengthening the quarantine system inside and outside schools while simultaneously increasing the vaccination rate among students. On this day, experts shared analysis results on ▲infection trends among children and adolescents ▲vaccination status of children and adolescents and differences in infection severity depending on vaccination status.

According to the analysis by Professor Choi Eun-hwa of Seoul National University, who attended the meeting, as of November, the COVID-19 incidence rate among students has increased compared to last year, and in the past four weeks, the number of confirmed cases per 100,000 children and adolescents was 99.7, surpassing adults (76.0). The incidence rate in the past week was also higher among children and adolescents (26.6 per 100,000) than adults (17.0). The annual incidence rate this year is lower among children and adolescents (521.2) than adults (562.3), but this is due to the lower vaccination rate among children and adolescents compared to adults.

Professor Choi explained, "This year, the COVID-19 incidence rate among children and adolescents has caught up to 93% of that of adults, and high school seniors (Grade 12), who have a higher vaccination rate, show a significantly lower incidence rate compared to Grades 10 and 11, which is evaluated as the effect of vaccination."

The proportion of COVID-19 infections among children and adolescents in the total population has significantly increased from 8.5% as of June last year to 14.5% as of October this year. In particular, the incidence rate among unvaccinated 0-17-year-olds is on the rise. As of October, the incidence rate for 0-17-year-olds was 27.4 per 100,000, surpassing the 19-49 age group (19.8). It is twice that of 18-year-olds who have been vaccinated (13.9).

Looking only at high school students, the incidence rate for Grade 12 is 1.4 per 100,000, which is about 20% of Grade 11 (7.1) and Grade 10 (6.9). The incidence rates by school level are ▲middle school 7.02 ▲elementary school 4.54 ▲high school 4.51 ▲kindergarten 3.15. While the rate is decreasing in high schools, the incidence rate in middle schools has increased. As of the 24th, the vaccination completion rates are 46.0% for ages 16-17 and 1.3% for ages 12-15.

Experts evaluated that in the situation of promoting full in-person classes, vaccinating adolescents could be an effective way to reduce school infection transmission. The Ministry of Education is also expected to shift its policy from leaving vaccination to voluntary choice to actively recommending vaccination.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "The Ministry of Education will closely coordinate with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency to provide sufficient opportunities for vaccination of children and adolescents," and added, "Since the incidence rate among unvaccinated youth exceeds that of adults, we ask students and parents to actively participate in vaccination, and the Ministry of Education will verify and support various matters necessary for making informed choices."