S.Korean authorities stick to flu vaccine plan after deaths rise to 48

Boryung

24/10/2020 11:21

By Heekyong Yang
    SEOUL, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The number of South Koreans who
have died after getting flu shots has risen to 48, the Korea
Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Saturday,
adding that the vaccines would continue to reduce the chance of
having simultaneous epidemics.  
    The health authorities said they found no direct link
between the deaths and the shots. They plan to carry on with the
state-run vaccination programme to try to avoid having to fight
both the flu and the coronavirus over the coming winter.     
    "After reviewing death cases so far, it is not the time to
suspend a flu vaccination programme since vaccination is very
crucial this year, considering ... the COVID-19 outbreaks," KDCA
Director Jeong Eun-kyung told a briefing. 
    Jeong said the review had shown no direct link between the
flu shots and the 26 deaths that have been investigated. 
    Some 20 initial autopsy results from the police and the
National Forensic Service showed that 13 people died of
cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and other disorders not caused
by the vaccination. 
    The death toll among those who have been vaccinated rose by
12 cases from a day earlier to 48 on Saturday.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2HE04M 
    The rising deaths have caused some doctors and politicians
to call for a halt to the government campaign to vaccinate about
30 million of the country's 54 million people. 
    While encouraging people to get flu vaccines, Jeong issued
precautions to take before getting the shot, such as drinking
enough water and telling healthcare workers about any underlying
medical conditions. She also advised people to wait 15-30
minutes before leaving the clinic where they receive their
vaccine. 
    "If possible, try to get the flu shot when it's warm, since
there are concerns that low temperatures could affect
cardiovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease," she said. 
    The KDCA said 9.4 million people had been inoculated as of
Friday in the programme that began in September, with 1,154
cases of adverse reactions. 
    South Korea reported 77 new coronavirus cases as of Friday
midnight, bringing total infections to 25,775, with 457 deaths. 
   

 (Reporting by Heekyong Yang; Editing by Tom Hogue)
 ((Heekyong.Yang@thomsonreuters.com; +82 2 6936 1470;))