SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA) – South Korean authorities exhorted citizens to get influenza shots to reduce the chances of an outbreak, which coincides with the battle against the coronavirus as it initiated free vaccinations for the last eligible group.
After 48 deaths were reported this month following vaccinations, fears about its safety have intensified. Last month, about 5 million doses had to be disposed of as they were not stored at the recommended temperature.
According to authorities, there are no direct links between the fatalities and the flu vaccines. They are reassuring citizens that it is safe to take a shot against flu which kills 3,000 people each year.
“Vaccination offers far greater benefits compared to side effects, and both the WHO and domestic and overseas experts agree,” said Health Minister Park Neung-hoo.
Last year, as many as 1,500 elderly people died within a week of being administered the vaccine. But the government said the fatalities were not linked to the shots.
The government has ordered 20% more flu vaccines this year to keep at bay what it terms the “twindemic” of influenza and coronavirus this winter.