VACCINE PASS MANDATORY FOR TEENS

[Anchor Lead]

The government has decided to go forward with its plan to implement a vaccine pass system for teenagers. Critics argue the government is forcing vaccinations. But, health authorities maintain that inoculations are a must to keep in-person classes running and to protect students.

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[Soundbite] Jeong Eun-kyeong(Director, KDCA(Oct. 18)) : "Vaccination of children and teenagers is not mandatory, but voluntary. So we’re recommending schools to not take any discriminatory measures."

But the “vaccine pass” system has been implemented in multipurpose facilities such as private academies, study cafes and reading rooms. The decision has caused strong protest as starting in next February, only teenagers who have been vaccinated will be allowed to use such facilities.

[Soundbite] Yu Jin-seon(Okhyeon Middle School, Ulsan) : "I don’t know why they changed the policy in just two months."

[Soundbite] Bong Dong-min(Parent) : "Implementing the Vaccine Pass system on facilities that teenagers use most is in effect mandating vaccination on teenagers."

Health authorities claim that their stance hasn’t changed, but the situation has. Judging from the COVID-19 occurrences among 100,000 people in the past four weeks, more teenagers 18 or younger are being infected than adults. The benefits of adolescent vaccination now outweigh the bad.

[Soundbite] Prof. Choe Young-june(Korea Univ. Anam Hospital) : "I believe the benefits for individuals and entire society, such as preventing serious infections or deaths, are greater."

Vaccination is also a must in order to respond to the rapid spread of the omicron variant.

[Soundbite] Prof. Jeong Jae-hoon(Gachon Univ. College of Medicine) : "I expect the vaccines’ effectiveness to be maintained against the omicron variant so that people wouldn’t become seriously ill or die."

The government asked the students to get vaccinated as it is the only way to maintain in-person instruction and protect students.

[Soundbite] Yoo Eun-hae(Minister of Education) : "Children and teenagers show no symptoms, making early detection difficult and their infection is discovered oftentimes after they have spread the virus to their families, peer groups and other multipurpose facilities."

Despite the protest and concern over vaccine safety, the first dose vaccination rate among adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 continues to rise, nearing 50% of the teenage population.