Health Authorities: "0% Fatality Rate for Omicron with 3rd Dose... Vaccination is the Best"

"Unvaccinated Omicron Fatality Rate 0.6%... 6 Times Higher Than Seasonal Flu"
"Third Dose Needed to Prevent Severe Cases and Deaths"... Vaccination Emphasized

Medical staff are receiving the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Among COVID-19 Omicron variant infected individuals who have completed the third dose, the fatality rate for confirmed cases under 60 years old was found to be 0%, prompting the government to repeatedly emphasize the necessity of the third vaccination.

Park Hyang, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated at the COVID-19 regular briefing on the 8th, "The risk of Omicron for those who have completed vaccination appears to be similar to that of seasonal influenza," adding, "The fatality rate of Omicron among those who have completed the third dose is 0.07%, which is comparable to the seasonal influenza fatality rate of 0.05% to 0.1%. Especially, for those under 60 who have completed the third dose, the fatality rate is 0%, significantly lowering the risk."

The quarantine authorities emphasized again that while the severity and fatality rates of Omicron are at the level of seasonal influenza for vaccinated individuals, it is more dangerous than seasonal influenza for the unvaccinated, particularly the elderly.

Park explained that the fatality rate for the unvaccinated was 0.6%, which is six times higher compared to seasonal influenza. He added, "In the past four weeks, 94.4% of deaths were among those aged 60 and above, and 46% of them were unvaccinated," urging, "For those aged 60 and above, vaccination is the best response method, so please complete the third dose."

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) also announced that, based on an analysis of 135,348 variant virus infected individuals from April 3 last year to the 26th of last month, there were zero deaths among Omicron-infected individuals under 60 who had completed the third dose.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at CDSCH, explained, "The statement that the Omicron fatality rate is similar to seasonal influenza refers to those who have completed the third dose," adding, "Unvaccinated individuals must endure a much higher fatality rate than seasonal influenza, even with Omicron, which is why vaccination is recommended."

Meanwhile, the number of new confirmed cases today is 202,721, with 1,007 severe cases. The number of deaths is 186, marking the second highest scale ever recorded.