‘Vaccine Refusal’ Anti-Vaxxers... Startups Also Embarrassed

Confirmed Cases Continue in Startups... Some 'Antivaxers' Draw Criticism
Work Disruptions Significant... Transmission to Colleagues Occurs
Executive-Level Infections Cause Work 'All Stop'... "Personal Freedom" Also Criticized

COVID-19 Vaccine Third Booster Dose Interval Shortened to 3 Months
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Hwang Kwang-mo = On the afternoon of the 10th of last month, as the government decided to shorten the interval for the third COVID-19 vaccine dose to 3 months to curb the worsening pandemic situation, medical staff at the Dongshin Hospital Vaccination Center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, were organizing syringes containing the Moderna vaccine for the booster shot. 2021.12.10
hkmpooh@yna.co.kr
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[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] #The CEO of Startup A located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, recently tested positive for COVID-19. After completing a two-week quarantine, he returned to work, but some employees viewed him unfavorably. He was an anti-vaxxer who refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and an employee who had close contact with him also tested positive. A representative of Startup A said, “There are quite a few employees who believe the CEO should issue an official apology,” adding, “In startups, each employee plays a significant role, so the impact of an absence due to infection is substantial.”

Startups are struggling with anti-vaxxers. Due to the small workforce typical of startups, even one or two employees testing positive can cause significant disruption to operations. As a result, startups are making efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but there are concerns that these efforts have been undermined by some anti-vaxxers. However, there are also opinions that employees’ beliefs should be respected.

According to industry sources on the 15th, COVID-19 infections among anti-vaxxers are occurring frequently across various startups. At Startup B located in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, two R&D personnel recently tested positive. Both employees were anti-vaxxers. After the two employees tested positive, all staff underwent PCR testing, and fortunately, no additional cases were found. Startup B closed its office for about three days and switched to remote work.

The problem lies in the work gap caused by the infections. In early-stage startups, the absence of even one or two employees can disrupt some projects due to the significant role each individual plays. Especially when a C-level executive tests positive, it is not uncommon for the entire company’s operations to come to a complete halt. The two infected R&D employees at Startup B caused project schedules to be delayed by nearly two weeks. The CEO of Startup B explained, “Startups have small teams, including R&D personnel, so if even one person is absent, development schedules inevitably get delayed,” adding, “During the office closure, research equipment was also inaccessible, so R&D activities were practically impossible.”

Parents and Citizens Opposing Vaccine Pass
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Incheol = On the morning of the 15th of last month, parents and citizens gathered in front of the Seongdong-Gwangjin Education Support Office in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, condemning the vaccine pass and COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents. 2021.12.15
yatoya@yna.co.kr
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Given this situation, startups are encouraging COVID-19 vaccination through various methods. Vaccine leave is a representative example. According to industry sources, most domestic startups provide paid leave to employees who have been vaccinated. The leisure platform Yogi-ottae attracted attention last June by announcing a policy to grant up to 14 days of paid leave for employees diagnosed with adverse symptoms after vaccination.

Overseas, including in the United States, measures to mandate vaccination are also being pursued. The Biden administration mandated that all employees at workplaces with 100 or more workers be vaccinated starting from the 18th of this month. However, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated this measure, ruling it as an excessive exercise of government authority. Google, the world’s largest search engine, recently sparked controversy by announcing salary cuts and dismissals for employees who did not comply with internal vaccination policies.

There are also voices emphasizing that vaccination refusal is a matter of personal freedom. Similar to politics and religion, anti-vaxxers’ beliefs should be recognized as personal convictions. An employee at a startup said, “There are various personal reasons for not getting vaccinated, such as concerns about side effects due to underlying health conditions,” adding, “Vaccination can only be recommended, not forced.”