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A medical worker in Cheonan’s Dongnam District administers a vaccine to a staff member at a medical facility on March 3, 2021, when Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was first being rolled out in South Korea. (Ryu Woo-jong/The Hankyoreh)

Groundless misconceptions about South Korea’s approach to combating COVID-19 have been proliferating in the country recently, prompting disease control authorities to take active steps to correct that misinformation. In particular, they’ve rebutted the claim that the flu (caused by influenza viruses) is more severe than COVID-19. Some have used that claim to question Korea’s vaccine pass system and social distancing, which were never introduced during flu epidemics of the past.

Jeong Tong-ryeong, head of the general coordination team at Korea’s Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, provided responses to nine common misconceptions about COVID-19.

A: “The COVID-19 virus shouldn’t be viewed the same as the flu (that is, influenza). The flu has a case fatality rate of just 0.05%, but COVID-19 has a cumulative fatality rate of just under 1%. COVID-19 is exhibiting a case fatality rate that’s more than 10 times greater than influenza despite vaccinations and social distancing measures.”

A: “There is clear evidence that distancing is effective, and this has been evidenced all across the world. Following the Delta variant, the spread has become incredibly fast. Most countries around the world have implemented distancing policies. Compliance with personal hygiene guidelines, such as wearing a mask, rapid and accurate epidemiological investigations, and immunization acquisition through vaccination are not enough. Distancing is absolutely necessary. No country has been able to control the spread [of COVID-19] without strengthening distancing measures. In Korea alone, the number of confirmed cases had increased since the easing of distancing measures on Nov. 1, but the spread [of the virus] has since once again been slowed down by bolstering distancing.”

A: “Distancing was not always maintained at a consistent level. When the spread decreased, social distancing measures were eased in turn. If distancing measures were kept in place according to the original strict levels, it’s possible that the way [the virus] spread could have looked different. It was a process of trying to find a balance between distancing and resuming normal daily life. The spread [of the virus] may spike at times, but this doesn’t mean that social distancing measures are not effective.”

Q: The idea was that social distancing measures would be eased once 85% of the population was vaccinated. Instead, these measures have become stricter. Does this mean the vaccines have been ineffective?

A: “Those who are vaccinated are getting less sick and dying in fewer numbers [compared to the unvaccinated]. According to figures from the second week of December, the risk of infection for those who had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine was 2.3 times less than that of non-vaccinated individuals. After social distancing measures were eased on Nov. 1, the proportion of those infected who are over 60 years of age rose to 35%. But, as a result of rapid [additional] vaccination at nursing facilities, these numbers have fallen to around 20% currently. There is a lot of evidence that proves the effectiveness of vaccines.”

A: “If we look at research conducted abroad, most point to the wearing of masks as being effective. Figures relating to the exact prevention rate of infection vary, from at least 10% to up to 50%. However, it is not possible to prevent all forms of infection only by wearing a mask. It is overly optimistic to think one has no need for vaccination or distancing measures just because they wear a mask.”

Q: The aim of a virus is replication. By pushing for vaccines and distancing measures, stronger variants of the virus are being created. In the end, the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases, and social distancing measures are endlessly eased, only to be strengthened yet again. Isn’t this a vicious cycle?

A: “It is true that the more the virus spreads, the more pressure it is under to mutate and the higher the likelihood of new strains cropping up. However, in order to contain the spread of the virus and of its mutations, the entire population must be quickly vaccinated. Even if a virus mutates, new messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines that are suitable to ward off the mutations can be developed within a short period of time. If no vaccines had been introduced, then we might be seeing a continuation of what happened at the beginning of the pandemic: a significant number of cases and death being recorded, as was the case in China and Europe.”

A: “It is difficult to say that natural immunity is superior to artificial immunity. There are many different studies on the duration and effectiveness of the two forms of immunity. But there is one thing to note: The level of immunity acquired depends on the severity of the symptoms experienced as a result of the infection. If the symptoms experienced after being infected with the virus are weak, it means that the level of immunity that is formed is also quite low. If the symptoms experienced after infection are mild, then the level of immunity will be low while if the symptoms are severe, then, even if immunity is acquired, the severe symptoms can lead to illness.”

A: “There are studies with conflicting results. What is clear is that neither natural nor artificial immunity last forever. Both can increase the risk of reinfection. It’s not possible to say that one [form of immunity] is superior to the other. However, for those who are vaccinated, the period of effectiveness [of the vaccine] is relatively clear. In the case of natural immunity, it is difficult to know exactly when this immunity begins to wane. As such, the level of herd immunity has to be raised through vaccination.”

A: “COVID-19 is dangerous because it can aggravate underlying diseases. As of Dec. 23, 2021, a total of 5,015 people have died due to COVID-19 [in South Korea]. Of them, 4,800 had underlying diseases, 169 deaths were of individuals with unknown underlying diseases, and 46 deaths are under investigation for underlying diseases. The statistics for deaths from COVID-19 vary by country. In some cases, only COVID-related effects are considered without looking at underlying diseases, and in some cases like in Korea, deaths due to worsening of underlying conditions are considered related to COVID-19. Those who had preexisting conditions are not predicted to have died in such a short period had they not been infected with the virus. By excluding the 4,800 deaths due to underlying diseases, one underestimates the actual effects of COVID-19.”

By Ahn Tae-ho, staff reporter

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