Cases of adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination... "248 more recognized"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] The government has recognized 248 additional cases of compensation for adverse reactions occurring after COVID-19 vaccination.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 31st, the Vaccination Injury Compensation Expert Committee held the 24th Compensation Committee meeting on the 27th and reviewed a total of 1,873 new cases of adverse reaction compensation claims following COVID-19 vaccination. As a result, 248 cases (13.2%) were recognized as causally related to the vaccination and compensation was decided.

As of now, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccination injury compensation claims is 92,029, of which 78,844 cases (85.7%) have been reviewed, and 22,472 cases (28.5%) have been approved for compensation. Among the small medical expense compensation claims under 300,000 KRW based on out-of-pocket expenses, 14,528 cases underwent expedited review by city/provincial authorities, resulting in 5,444 cases being approved for compensation.

The total number of medical expense support recipients for suspected related diseases is 1,183, and the number of recipients for death condolence payments is 8. For 48 recipients of condolence payments due to undetermined cause of death after autopsy, individual guidance is being provided through the respective local governments, and payments have been completed for 39 individuals.

The Compensation Committee stated that common adverse reactions typically appearing within three days after vaccination, complications unrelated to the vaccine or underlying diseases, and cases caused by infections rather than the vaccine are not recognized as adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Compensation Committee added to the ‘Criteria for Recognizing Causality and Suspected Related Diseases of COVID-19 Vaccines’ the following: ‘Myocarditis and pericarditis’ occurring after Novavax vaccine administration, and ‘tinnitus’ and ‘facial nerve palsy’ occurring after AstraZeneca vaccine administration. Additionally, among major adverse reactions recognized as causally related, the vaccine causing ‘anaphylaxis’ was changed to include all COVID-19 vaccines.