Some 86 percent of 3-year-olds across the country have been inoculated with all the state-recommended vaccinations, the nation’s disease control agency said on Monday.
That proportion is short of the national target of 95 percent, it added.
According to a report on the vaccination rate, compiled by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the first time, 86.3 percent of 3 year olds were found to have received all seven vaccines recommended to be given before they are 2 years old.
The seven vaccines are BCG (against tuberculosis), DTaP (against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), IPV (against polio), MMR (against mumps, measles and rubella), Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis B and chicken pox.
The CDC and Chungnam National University surveyed 7,040 children aged three.
The current vaccination rate is higher than the average national rate of 73.2 percent in 2008 and that of the U.S. (77.8 percent), but lower than that of Australia (92.6 percent). A few countries disclose their vaccination rates, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and England, according to officials.
The government has set the target of 95 percent as most diseases can be prevented by maintaining such a rate.
“We are not there yet, but it’s very important to be vaccinated on the recommended schedule in order to maintain the optimal level of immunity,” said Jeon Byung-yul, a senior official at the disease control agency.
In a bid to encourage vaccinations, the government pays most of the costs for children, setting the inoculation fee paid by parents at 5,000 won ($4.20) a shot, down from the previous average of 15,000 won, according to officials.
The government also runs a computer network linking inoculation records to the birth registry to inform the parents of vaccination dates by text message. Parents can check children’s vaccination status online.
By Lee Woo-young (
wylee@heraldcorp.com)
