The vaccination rate in Jeju is reaching nearly 70 percent.
As the rate grows, additional deaths are reported especially among young people who don't have underlying medical conditions.
17 have died following vaccinations in Jeju however Seoul and the province have concluded that there is no link found between vaccines and the 17 deaths.
Joseph Kim reports.

[Slug] Man in his forties died in 4 days after vaccination

A man in his forties recently died four days after getting the Moderna vaccine in Jeju.
He received the second shot of the vaccine at a local clinic on October 19th.

[Slug] Chest pain in 2 days after second shot

He collapsed while at work with chest pain two days after the vaccination.
He was admitted to the ICU of a hospital for treatment but ultimately died.

[Slug] Death from acute myocardial infarction, No underlying medical issues

He did not have any underlying medical issues.
The cause of death was diagnosed as acute myocardial infarction.

INTERVIEW
Member of bereaved family
He was young in his forties and the breadwinner in my family. He had to go to work the next day after the vaccination, and he died 3 days after getting the shot. I'm at a loss for how to live from here.
<인터뷰 : 백신 접종 후 사망 유가족>
"40대 젊은 가장으로서 백신을 맞고 다음날부터 바로 일을 나갔는데 (숨진지) 백신 맞은지 3일 밖에 안됐거든요. 앞으로 어떻게 살아가야 할지도 막막하고..."

[Slug] Woman in her twenties died after Pfizer shot on Oct.14

On October 14th, a woman in her twenties died after getting the second Pfizer shot.
Cases of death after receiving jabs are constantly being reported in Jeju.


According to the provincial office, 17 deaths have been reported after getting COVID-19 vaccines in Jeju.
Among them, ten received the Pfizer vaccine, five AstraZeneca, and two Moderna.



By age, the deaths of older adults between 70 and 89 accounted for the largest group, but the proportion of deaths of younger adults in their twenties or forties isn't low.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has concluded that the 17 cases of death are not linked to vaccines.



The KDCA has confirmed that two deaths were linked to COVID-19 vaccines nationwide.
The agency explains that it investigates autopsy results, underlying medical conditions, medical records and family health history to determine a causal link to the vaccines.


[Slug] Authorities deny causal link between vaccines and death

Bereaved families are bruised by authorities' decisions that deaths of their loved ones are not from side-effects of vaccines.
They trusted and followed authorities' recommendations and received the vaccines.
But authorities don't seem to care about the deaths.
Bereaved families have to cope with the sudden loss of their loved ones.

INTERVIEW
Kim Gyeong-hak / Member, Provincial Council
If a reasonable doubt is suggested by the province's medical personnel, the province should share responsibility and pain with bereaved families. The province's own support is needed.
<인터뷰 : 김경학 / 제주도의회 의원>
"제주도도 관련 의료 인력이 있기 때문에 나름의 합리적인 의심이 있다면 (백신 접종 후 사망을) 유가족의 책임으로만 돌릴 수는 없잖아요. 제주도에서도 별도의 지원 대책이 마련되어야 한다고 봅니다."

The province expects that the vaccination rate will reach 70 percent this week.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Hyeon Gwang-hoon

Disease control policies can't win sympathy from the public if authorities turn away from the pain in these blind spots.

Joseph Kim, KCTV