83 deaths reported among people vaccinated against influenza: authorities

South Korea’s public health agency said on Saturday that a total of 83 people, most of them elderly, have died after receiving a seasonal flu shot.

The deaths have fueled public concern about the safety of influenza vaccines, but the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the deaths of 72 people had a very limited relationship to the vaccines. against the flu. Eleven other cases are currently under investigation.

Of that total, 37 people are 70, followed by 34 people aged 80 or older, eight under 60 and four under 60, KDCA said.

Health officials have repeatedly said they have found no direct link between flu shots and deaths, urging people to get vaccinated before winter begins amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Public concern grew over the safety of flu shots after some vials of the vaccine – which are part of the country’s free inoculation program – were exposed to room temperature during distribution. Authorities said, however, that there was no security issue.

To date, more than 11.5 million South Koreans have received a free flu shot, accounting for 60.9% of the vaccination rate of about 19 million people, including adolescents and the elderly.

Typically, flu season occurs between late November and December. Since influenza vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination, experts recommend that people get the flu shot by mid-November. (Yonhap)