Impact of Media Coverage on Influenza Vaccine Coverage in Elderly Individuals from 2020 to 2021 in the Republic of Korea

Increased awareness of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) can disrupt vaccination programs. In South Korea, a report of alleged influenza vaccine-related deaths attracted significant media attention in 2020. We retrieved the vaccination coverage and AEFI data to determine their association with media coverage. Between 2015 and 2019, the vaccination coverage rate ranged between 80.5% and 83.3%; however, the vaccination coverage rate declined significantly from 2020 to 2021 to 73.6% (p < 0.0001). During the 43rd week of 2020, following a large amount of media coverage on vaccine safety issues, the number of cases with AEFI reached 60. Between 2015 and 2020, the mortality rate ratios for influenza vaccines and non-vaccines ranged between 0.1296 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.1262-0.1331, p < 0.0001) and 0.1608 (95% CI, 0.1572-0.1644, p < 0.0001). Vaccine safety surveillance should be continued in conjunction with investigation and transparent risk communication to maintain public trust in vaccines and vaccinations.

Automated summary

Increased awareness of adverse events following immunization has the potential to disrupt vaccination programs, as demonstrated by a significant decline in vaccination coverage in South Korea following media reports of vaccine-related deaths. Vaccine coverage rates were found to be associated with media coverage, emphasizing the importance of continued vaccine safety surveillance and transparent risk communication to maintain public trust in vaccines.