Medical community “People with underlying diseases, should get a vaccine… The government’s’speed battle’ fosters distrust.”

Input 2021.03.05 14:59 | Revision 2021.03.05 15:06

Citizens’ concerns are growing as there have been cases of death after receiving the vaccine for coronavirus infection. Experts stressed the need for vaccination of people with underlying diseases, but said that the government’s transparent disclosure of information can alleviate vaccination anxiety.

According to the Central Defense Countermeasure Headquarters on the 5th, an additional death occurred after vaccination as of 2 pm on the day. Since vaccination started on the 26th of last month, the number of related deaths has increased by one from the previous six, resulting in a cumulative seven.

All seven confirmed deaths so far were vaccinated with the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine as underlying diseases. After the vaccination confirmed on the 4th, a total of 3 people died, of which 2 came from a nursing hospital in the Jeonbuk region and one from a severely disabled facility in Daejeon. The two deaths in Jeonbuk were all males in their 50s, each suffering from cardio-cerebrovascular disease, myocardial infarction, and diabetes.

The government is taking into account the mortality rate and severity of corona infection, that the underlying disease needs to be vaccinated.

“If you take influenza (flu) vaccination as an example, the underlying disease is the highest priority vaccination target group,” said Eun-hee Cho, head of the post-vaccination management team of the corona vaccination response promotion group. The gains are greater than without vaccination.

Experts also agreed that the underlying disease is the first candidate to be vaccinated. “Patients with poor blood vessels such as high blood pressure and stroke have a high mortality rate during corona infection,” said Eun-mi Chun, a professor of respiratory medicine at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. “Vaccination is necessary to protect those with underlying diseases with a high mortality rate after corona infection.”

Kim Woo-joo, a professor of infectious medicine at Daegu Guro Hospital, said, “The majority of patients with severe coronavirus and deaths worldwide have come from the elderly and those with underlying diseases,” and said, “Because there is a high risk when a person with an underlying disease is infected with corona, it is necessary to get a vaccine first. There is” he said.

However, experts pointed out that the government’s response was insufficient in a situation where the deaths occurred in succession after vaccination. The focus was on accelerating vaccination, so the characteristics of the subjects were not well understood, and related information was not sufficiently disclosed.

Professor Chun said, “Now, adverse reactions after vaccination are classified as only mild, such as fever. Even if they have the same fever, the cause of the fever is different depending on the recipient.” However, it may be a sign of other diseases, such as sepsis, for the elderly or those with underlying diseases.”

Professor Chun argued that the quarantine authorities should not focus on vaccinating a set number of vaccines per day, but rather give hospitals more authority with regard to vaccination. “Since nursing hospitals are already afflicted with diseases and there are people who treat them, it is necessary to check whether the patient is in a condition to get the vaccine through blood tests or x-rays before vaccination.” Rather than asking them to get the vaccine, they should judge the patient’s condition in the hospital so that the vaccination timing should be different,” he said.

There are also voices that the public should disclose data that there is no link between vaccine and death in order to calm the public’s’vaccine anxiety’. Professor Kim said, “It is necessary to compare the natural mortality rate of patients under 65 years of age in nursing facilities before vaccination with the mortality rate after vaccination, considering that most of the dead came from nursing facilities.”

“It cannot be ruled out the possibility that the period of natural death from an underlying disease and the period of vaccination overlap.” If the government wants to expand the number of vaccination targets, it has scientific evidence and proves the safety of vaccination as soon as possible. “We need to relieve the public’s anxiety about it.”