8 people show abnormal reactions over flu vaccines

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- Eight South Koreans have shown abnormal reactions after receiving potentially defective flu vaccines, the public health agency said Thursday.

Two of them said they have chills, headaches and nausea after being injected with the vaccines that were suspected to have been exposed to room temperature, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.

The third and fourth people said they have developed hives and diarrhea, respectively.

Still, the agency said the conditions of the four people have since improved.

The public health agency also said the four remaining people had a fever and chills before their conditions got better.

Inactivated vaccines should be stored in refrigerators, and exposure to room temperatures could result in decreased vaccine potency and increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.

But the safety of those vaccines exposed to room temperatures has yet to be determined.

An ongoing study on the safety of the exposed vaccines is expected to wrap up early next week.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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