COVID-19 Vaccination in Korea: Past, Present, and the Way Forward

Abstract

Since its first emergence in late 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has claimed more than 6.5 million lives worldwide and continues to infect hundreds of thousands of people daily. To combat this once-in-a-century disaster, several vaccines have been developed at unprecedented speeds. Novel vaccine platforms (messenger ribonucleic acid vaccines and adenoviral vector vaccines) have played a major role in the current pandemic. In Korea, six vaccines, including a domestically developed recombinant vaccine, have been approved. As in other countries, vaccines have been proven to be safe and highly effective in Korea. However, rare serious adverse events and breakthrough infections have undermined public trust in the vaccines, even while the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks. The rise of the omicron variant and the subsequent increase in excess mortality demonstrated that while vaccines are a key component of the pandemic response, it alone can fail without non-pharmaceutical interventions like masking and social distancing. The pandemic of coronavirus disease has revealed both the strengths and weaknesses of our healthcare system and pandemic preparedness. When the next pandemic arrives, improved risk communication and vaccine development should be prioritized. To enable timely vaccine development, it is essential to make strategic and sufficient investments in vaccine research and development.

Effects of Omicron Infection and Changes in Serum Antibody Response to Wild-Type, Delta, and Omicron After a Booster Dose With BNT163b2 Vaccine in Korean Healthcare Workers

“…However, recommendations for booster vaccination in populations that became infected after booster vaccination are still foggy. 14 …”

Clinical Features and Vaccine Efficacy Analysis of COVID-19 patients in a Chongqing Shelter hospital in 2022

“…Numerous studies have shown that vaccination triggers the body's immune response, which generates specific antibodies and cellular immunity that can reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, particularly severe cases and fatalities 27,28 . Vaccination also helps decrease the duration of infection and reduces the risk of viral transmission 29,30 . These antibodies can neutralize the virus, prevent further infection of human cells, and assist other immune cells in eliminating the infected virus.…”

“…Individuals may still contract the virus after vaccination, which could be due to the imperfect efficacy of the vaccine or variations in the immune responses of individuals. Studies have also suggested that new virus variants may challenge the protective efficacy of existing vaccines, and previous vaccines may have significantly reduced efficacy against the Omicron variant 30,31 . Thus, even after vaccination, individuals should continue to follow public health guidelines, such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and practicing good hand hygiene, to further reduce the risk of infection and protect themselves and others from the consequences of virus transmission 25 .…”

Eight-Month Follow-up After the Third Dose of BNT162b2 Vaccine in Healthcare Workers: The Question of a Fourth Dose

“…However, there was a difference in that the South Korean vaccination guidelines did not include any directions for healthcare workers (HCWs). 2 3 …”