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Flu vaccine deaths: South Korea scrambles to control panic, says any link is ‘coincidental’
- President Moon Jae-in urged South Koreans to trust health authorities, calling for widespread vaccinations to avoid a ‘twin pandemic’ of flu and Covid-19
- This comes after 59 people died after receiving flu shots, and Singapore suspended two of the vaccines as a precaution
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
South Korean officials are scrambling to contain widespread public panic sparked by news reports of deaths thought to be linked to influenza vaccines, with President Moon Jae-in urging calm and saying any link was merely coincidental.
Over the past two weeks, 59 post-vaccination deaths have been reported, mostly involving those in their 60s or older with pre-existing health conditions.
Alarmist news headlines since the first death was reported on October 16 have deterred many people from getting vaccinated, and the Korea Medical Association recommended a temporary suspension of the flu shots.
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But investigations and autopsies of 46 of the cases have so far found little evidence that the deaths were associated with the vaccine injections, authorities said. The remaining 13 deaths have not yet been examined.
“It’s been confirmed that the deaths were not directly linked to flu vaccinations,” Moon said on Monday.
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