Forever-boosting fears discourage youth from getting booster shots

Jan 19, 2022, 08:41 am

		0
People queue in line to wait for the coronavirus testing at a testing site near Seoul City Hall in Seoul on Jan. 18, 2022./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Lee Sun-young

More young people aged 18 and more are avoiding getting a booster or third dose of COVID-19 vaccine with the possibility of a fourth dose of the vaccine emerging. In order to reduce the number of additional vaccinations, many are postponing vaccination until the 180-day validity period of vaccine pass expires.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), vaccination rate is high in older adults, with more than 90% of seniors 60 and older vaccinated. However, the rate is 47% for those aged 18 to 59. It was the lowest at 34.5% for those aged 20 to 29.

This seems because young people, who are subject to the third vaccination, are increasingly avoiding vaccination until the 180-day vaccine pass is valid. They seem to be unaware of the importance of vaccination since most of young people do not get seriously ill when they are infected with the virus.

“You don’t know you may experience side-effects if vaccinated. Even if you are vaccinated, you may get infected with the omicron deviant. So I don’t want to get vaccinated,” said Lee, a 25-year-old office worker in Yongsan. “I will postpone it as long as possible and get a jab before the vaccine pass expires,” he added.

“I don’t want to get booster shots forever,” said Park, a 25-year-old Seoul resident. “The government will suggest you to get vaccinated anyway, so I want to reduce the number of doses to a minimum.”

There are cases in which they regret early vaccination even after they had been vaccinated. A 25-year-old office worker in Jung-gu, said, “I got a third shot, but it would have been better if I had delayed it because a fourth vaccine dose is in talks.”

On the other hand, the government and experts say that every generation should get a third dose as soon as possible to prevent breakthrough infections and virus transmissions.

“It seems that people are delaying vaccination due to the effect of the vaccine pass program for 180 days, but a third vaccination is to prevent infection against the omicron and delta variants,” said Hong Jung-ik, a member of the government’s COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team. “We believe a third dose is absolutely necessary to respond against the omicron, and that the sooner the inoculation is done, the stronger the protection will be,” he said.

“The more you delay the vaccination, the less effective the second vaccination is, and the risk of infection increases,” said Professor Shi Hye-jin of Gachon University Gil Hospital.

In fact, the estimated cumulative number of breakthrough infections among those aged 18 to 59 was 127.6 per 100,000 in the 4th week of November last year, but increased to 327.8 per 100,000 in the 4th week of December.

However, the government and experts say it is too early to judge the possibility of a fourth shot suggested by some. The European Medicines Agency said on Jan. 11 that repeating booster shots have immune-system risks and that more research is needed.

#booster shot #COVID-19