COVID-19 Vaccination for Infants and Toddlers Begins... Parents Say "Afraid to Vaccinate Our Children"

COVID-19 Vaccination for Ages 6 Months to 4 Years Starts on the 13th
Hospitals Crowded but No COVID-19 Vaccination Applicants

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] At around 8:30 a.m. on the 13th, when COVID-19 vaccinations for infants and toddlers began, a pediatric clinic in Dohwa-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul was bustling with children and their guardians visiting for medical consultations. However, not a single person had come to the clinic for COVID-19 vaccination. Kim (39), who visited the clinic holding her 12-month-old child, said, “Even adults often experience side effects after vaccination, so I have no intention of vaccinating my child,” adding, “I haven’t seen anyone around me planning to vaccinate their children.” The clinic also reported that there were no vaccination appointments made. A clinic official stated, “Currently, there are no children with reservations, and no one has registered on-site for vaccination yet.”

On the morning of the 13th, around 8:30 AM, at a pediatric clinic in Dohwa-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, where COVID-19 vaccinations for infants and toddlers began, a guardian visited the hospital with an infant.
Photo by Tae-won Choi skking@

Although COVID-19 vaccinations for infants and toddlers have started, guardians showed reluctance to vaccinate due to concerns about side effects. Most of the guardians visiting the clinic that day said they had not yet planned to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, contrary to government recommendations. Lee (33), who brought her child with a cold to the clinic, expressed concern, saying, “I came because my child is sick, but I am not considering COVID-19 vaccination. My child has had COVID before, and I understand that side effects have not been clearly identified yet.” Choi (38), a parent of two daughters, also said, “We have no plans to vaccinate them at all. The children have already been infected once, and with COVID almost over, I wonder if it’s really necessary.”

Another pediatric clinic in Hongje-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, was not much different. The waiting room was crowded with 14 children and their guardians, leaving no seats available, but again, no one had come for COVID-19 vaccination. Some argued that the timing for vaccinating infants and toddlers was too late. Ra (43), whom we met at a pharmacy after a consultation, said, “If it were during the severe COVID-19 situation two or last year, I might have considered it, but now that things have calmed down, I don’t feel a strong need to vaccinate.” Jo (34), a parent of a 3-year-old, said, “Maybe when the situation was severe, but now, I feel the risk of vaccine side effects is greater than the risk of my child catching COVID. I have no intention of vaccinating. I once suffered after vaccination, so I’m scared to vaccinate my child.”

In this atmosphere, experts recommended COVID-19 vaccination for infants and toddlers even if guardians do not fully feel the necessity. Professor Kim Woojoo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Hospital said, “With recent social trends such as the lifting of indoor mask mandates, awareness of COVID-19 has decreased. There is a kind of safety negligence thinking, ‘My child will be fine.’ Even if they don’t strongly feel it, the necessity of vaccination for infants and toddlers is clear, so I want to recommend vaccination.” He added, “In 2020 and 2021, it was known that children rarely got infected and, if infected, had mild symptoms. However, with the lifting of indoor mask mandates and children engaging in group activities, they are exposed to risks, and deaths continue to occur. At least for high-risk groups, active vaccination is necessary.”

Infants and toddlers classified as high-risk include those with “severe immunosuppression such as long-term use of high-dose steroids or immunosuppressive therapy,” “those who have undergone bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy,” “those with chronic lung, heart, liver, or kidney diseases, neurological or muscular disorders,” and “those with severe cerebral palsy or Down syndrome,” who often require assistance in daily life.

Meanwhile, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, same-day COVID-19 vaccinations for infants and toddlers aged 6 months to 4 years began on this day. Vaccinations for those with prior reservations will start on the 20th. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for infants and toddlers is being used. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has confirmed and verified its safety and efficacy through product approval procedures, and regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Europe have also authorized and approved the vaccine. The vaccination schedule consists of three doses at 8-week (56-day) intervals. Anyone in this age group can receive the vaccine, and vaccination is especially strongly recommended for high-risk infants and toddlers.