| A woman receives a coronavirus vaccine from AstraZeneca at a hospital in Gangseo District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap |
By Lee Hyo-jin
The government is being asked to speed up state compensation for people who suffer side effects from COVID-19 vaccination in order to ensure that payment for medical treatment does not become a burden for those suffering from them.
Under the current compensation system, it may take several months for the health authorities to review any causal link between the vaccine and side effects, during which affected people must receive medical treatment at their own expense.
If the health authorities recognize a causal link between the vaccine and the side effects, the government will cover all medical expenses needed for treatment. In the case of death due to vaccination, 430 million won ($388,000) will be provided in compensation and 300,000 won for funeral expenses.
A 45-year-old nursing assistant who was inoculated with her first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine on March 12 is currently hospitalized after suffering paralysis in her arms and legs. She was diagnosed with acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis (ADEM), an immune response-related reaction.
The nursing assistant's husband posted a public petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website Wednesday urging better compensation procedures and government support.
“Doctors say her condition requires six months to one year of treatment, and she may be left with permanent disabilities. In addition to such concerns, we have to pay 4 million won ($3,580) per week for medical care,” he wrote, adding that a local public health center told him to apply for compensation after treatment is completed, and the review could take as long as 120 days.
| People wait to receive coronavirus vaccinations at a hospital in Gangseo District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap |
Regarding the case, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced Thursday it will cover her medical expenses based on the health welfare system. The decision came a day after President Moon Jae-in ordered related ministries to come up with ways to pay for her medical expenses in advance of the review's completion.
Medical experts say the government should introduce better measures on compensation as the number of reports of side effects is expected to increase following expanded vaccinations.
“The health authorities should establish a systematic plan to offer active and comprehensive support to people who suffer from abnormal reactions after vaccination,” read a statement issued by Korea Medical Association (KMA), the largest doctors' group in the country. It pointed out that the public petition to the presidential office should not be the only way for people to seek help every time such cases occur.
“Severe symptoms of adverse reactions such as encephalomyelitis require MRI examinations, burdening patients with medical costs. The government should consider providing medical expenses in advance for such severe side effects,” said Chon Eun-mi, a professor at the Department of Pulmonology of Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital.
So far, eight severe adverse reactions have been recognized by the health authorities as being linked to the vaccine. Five were cases of anaphylaxis, one of cerebral thrombosis and two of low blood pressure.
Meanwhile, according to the KDCA, the daily number of new virus cases for Wednesday recorded 735, the highest since Jan. 7, raising the total caseload to 115,926. Among the new infections, 715 were local transmissions and 20 were from overseas.