Health Authorities: "Adverse Event Reporting Rate for Bivalent Vaccines is One-Tenth That of Monovalent Vaccines"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] The quarantine authorities urged active participation in vaccination, stating that the adverse event reporting rate for the currently administered bivalent vaccines (updated vaccines) is significantly lower, about one-tenth, compared to monovalent vaccines.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team announced on the 23rd that since the implementation of the additional winter vaccinations until the 12th, the overall adverse event reporting rate was 0.38 cases per 1,000 vaccinations. Considering that the reporting rate after monovalent vaccine administration is 3.72 cases per 1,000, the adverse event reporting rate for bivalent vaccines is only about 10% of that of monovalent vaccines. For serious adverse events, the reporting rate after bivalent vaccine administration was 0.02 cases, which is about two-fifteenths of the monovalent vaccine rate (0.15 cases).

For bivalent vaccines, the adverse event reporting rate was significantly lower across all age groups. In the case of monovalent vaccines, younger age groups such as those in their 20s (4.78 cases) and 30s (4.93 cases) showed relatively higher adverse event reporting rates, but with the bivalent vaccines, the rates dropped sharply to 0.51 cases and 0.45 cases respectively for the 20s and 30s age groups. Among those aged 60 and above, for whom vaccination is strongly recommended, the reporting rate was 0.35 cases, the lowest among all age groups.

However, as of the 22nd, the additional winter vaccination rate for those aged 60 and over was low at 35.0% of the eligible population. Ji Young-mi, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stated, "It has been confirmed that the adverse event reporting rate for bivalent vaccines is significantly lower than that for monovalent vaccines," and added, "If anyone has hesitated to get vaccinated due to concerns about adverse reactions, please feel reassured and participate in the vaccination."