KCDA says free flu shots for all an impossibility

Information about free flu vaccinations is posted on a medical clinic door in Seoul, Thursday./ Yonhap

By Kim Se-jeong

As flu season approaches, the possibility of free flu vaccinations for the country's entire population has been increasingly discussed by politicians.

The idea has been debated in response to growing concerns that an increasing number of flu patients, coupled with COVID-19 patients, could have a potentially devastating effect on the nation's healthcare system.

So will everyone be able to receive a free flu vaccination this autumn?

According to Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDA), the answer is no.

The KCDA said this is because the number of vaccine doses produced is decided early on in the year.

"Usually, the authorities estimate the number of doses they need early in the year and start production from March, which takes about five to six months. Given the COVID-19 situation, we added 5 million more this year which brought the total to around 29.5 million," a KCDA official said.

While many have asked if the government could allocate an emergency budget for more vaccination doses the official said it's not about money. Rather, it's an issue of time. She said the vaccine production usually takes five to six months.

"If we start to produce more today, the extra doses will not be ready until at least January," she said. If more were ordered now they would arrive halfway through the winter season, which would be too late to have any significant effect, as after the flu vaccination it takes around a month for the body to reach its peak antibody count.

In response to the question of using remaining vaccine inventory from last year the official responded, "Every February, the World Health Organization announces the recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use for that year and the vaccine producers make the product based on those guidelines. Unused supplies are discarded."

Importing more vaccine doses from outside Korea is easier said than done, because the global vaccine supply only has a small surplus and with the concurrent COVID-19 pandemic, the flu vaccine is already in strong demand, according to the official.

Korean companies don't produce all the locally administered vaccine doses and use imports help meet the quota.

The idea of free vaccinations for all citizens gathered speed earlier this month. "Instead of giving everyone 20,000 won in cash, I propose giving everyone a free flu vaccination," Joo Ho-young, the leader of the main opposition People Power Party, said on Sept 11 during a National Assembly session.

As autumn approaches, the government's concern is growing deeper that the number of flu patients will grow, increasing pressure on healthcare workers who are already overworked by the pandemic and stretching thin general health resources. Also, since flu symptoms are similar to COVID-19 symptoms, testing centers are likely to be busier with people when the flu season actually starts.

Still, free flu vaccinations are available for those aged 18 and younger, pregnant women and people aged 62 and over. In particular, infants are required to receive the vaccination twice with an interval of one month, while others only require a single injection. There are different time slots allocated for the free shots based on age group, so those eligible are advised to check with their local health center regarding details.

Those who are not eligible for the free shot but wish to be vaccinated can visit their preferred healthcare clinic. Two types of vaccines are available and estimated prices are 20,000 won and 40,000 won but prices vary slightly from clinic to clinic. For more information (Korean only), visit https://nip.cdc.go.kr.

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