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| A bottle of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is ready to be administered at a hospital in Seoul, Friday. As of Sept. 25, 0.6 percent of Koreans who received their first COVID-19 vaccine shots did not get their second injections by the scheduled dates. Yonhap |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
As Korea tries to reach its target vaccination rate of 70 percent by October, some people who received their first doses are giving up on getting their second shots, thus failing to achieve full vaccination.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Sunday, 0.6 percent of those who received their first COVID-19 shots did not receive their second ones by the scheduled dates as of Sept. 25.
Those who suffered from side effects of the first shots and heard of stronger side effects of the second doses have declined to receive their follow-up injections despite not being fully vaccinated. The rate also includes those who missed their appointments for the second shots as well.
A number of petitioners posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website claiming that their family members or friends have died or became seriously ill after COVID-19 vaccination, especially after their second shots, increasing fears among some people.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), side effects after the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine "may be more intense than the ones you experienced after your first shot."
The CDC adds that the more intense side effects are "normal signs that your body is building protection and should go away within a few days."
The CDC states that people should get the second shot even if they have side effects after the first injection, unless a vaccination provider or doctor tells them not to.
Korean experts also recommend getting the second shot despite the side effects, as the stronger reaction means the second dose is boosting the immune system.
"If you suffer a serious side effect after receiving the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, you should avoid the second shot. However, those who have common side effects such as fevers, muscle pain or diarrhea should get the second dose," said Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital.
Kim also advised people to consult a doctor about getting a second shot if they suffer serious side effects from the first one.
Meanwhile, 52.5 percent of Korea's population is fully vaccinated and 77.3 percent received their first shots as of Saturday.
