Flu Vaccination Series

We have conducted research on influenza vaccination uptake and related policies in Korea for several years. Our first study, published in Vaccine in 2018, highlighted the importance of expanding financial coverage for prioritized groups. This research contributed to a policy change in the Korean National Immunization Program, leading to the inclusion of pregnant women in the free vaccination program. Following this change, we observed a corresponding increase in vaccination uptake among pregnant women.

Following the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, we expanded our research to examine its impact on influenza vaccination uptake. Our findings revealed:

• A unique behavioral shift in Korea, where vaccination rates among older adults declined, unlike in other countries. This decline was attributed to factors specific to Korea, such as high medical accessibility and overcrowded healthcare facilities.

• Furthermore, there were income-based disparities in the responsive increase of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lower-income households exhibited a disproportionate reduction in influenza vaccine uptake, emphasizing the need for targeted support systems and expanded free vaccination for prioritized groups to address these disparities.

This subsequent study also contributed to a policy change in the Korean National Immunization Program, which temporarily expanded free vaccination eligibility during the COVID-19 pandemic to include some people with comorbidities or disabilities and children.

The latest study is under peer review.

• Yeo, M., Seo, J., & Lim, J. (2023). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansion of free vaccination policy on influenza vaccination coverage: An analysis of vaccination behavior in South Korea. PloS one, 18(2), e0281812. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281812