SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean authorities said on Sunday that they will continue a coronavirus vaccination program this week after deciding to continue using the AstraZeneca PLC vaccine for all eligible people 30 years or older.
South Korea on Wednesday suspended providing the AstraZeneca injection to people under 60 as Europe assessed cases of blood clotting in adults.
People under 30 will still be excluded from the vaccinations resuming Monday because the benefits of the injection do not outweigh the risks for that age group, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said in a statement.
Three vaccinated people in South Korea are reported to have developed blood clots, one case found to be related to the vaccine, Choi Eun-hwa, chair of the Korea Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, told a briefing.
That case was a type of blood clot considered less serious than the type investigated by European authorities, she said.
For most people, the risks from coronavirus are far worse than the rare possibility of side effects from the vaccines, Choi said, adding that the best way to end the pandemic was to vaccinate anyone who could get it.
But she said, “the benefits aren’t that great for people under 30, so we won’t be recommending the AstraZeneca vaccine for them.”
According to the University of Cambridge’s Winton Center for Risk and Evidence Communication, the benefit-risk ratio of the AstraZeneca admission increases as the risk of serious harm from vaccination decreases and ICU admissions that are prevented by vaccination increase sharply.
The drug manufacturer has said its studies have not found a higher risk of blood clots because of its vaccine, which has been administered millions of doses worldwide. The World Health Organization has said the benefits outweigh the risks.
Worldwide controversy over the efficacy and side effects of some COVID-19 vaccines has caused some delay in the South Korea vaccination campaign, which started in late February with the aim of achieving immunity to the herd by November.
The second-quarter vaccination program includes teachers in particular with disabilities and vulnerable groups, including those with disabilities and the homeless, the KDCA said.
Reporting by Josh Smith; Edited by Kim Coghill and William Mallard