• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.207-217
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors in which employee's health beliefs affect their intention to get COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: The participants of this survey were 237 emlpoyees living in Busan. Data were collected using structured online questionnaires from April 26th to May 6th, 2021. The data were analyzed in SPSS WIN version 25.0 using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: At the average score for each area of health beliefs regarding COVID-19, self-efficacy was 4.45 points, perceived sensitivity 4.71 points, perceived severity 3.59 points, perceived benefit 4.46 points, and perceived disability 2.19 points. Monthly income, perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, and perceived benefit were found to be factors affecting the intention to get COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusions: In order to improve the vaccination intention of COVID-19, it is necessary for subjects to recognize the seriousness of the disease, increase their sensitivity to the disease, and actively promote and educate the community about the benefits of vaccination.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.27-48
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• 2021

We extend and modify the canonical epidemiology model of Eichenbaum, Rebelo and Trabandt (2020) to investigate the general equilibrium effects of COVID-19 spread in the Korean economy when vaccine, treatment and social distancing are available. Particularly, we develop a SIR-macro model which considers possibility of moral inattention of the overconfident agents through which people is more likely to be infected. Our model implies that people's decision to cut back on consumption and work reduces the severity of the epidemic and thus exacerbate the size of the economic recession caused by the epidemic. Another finding is that the average 13 weeks to develop the vaccine and treatment will lead to 2% drop of consumption.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2020

Purpose: To describe pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases after the reopening of schools in the Republic of Korea and their transmission routes. Methods: All case report forms and epidemiologic investigation forms for children aged 3-18 years reported as COVID-19 cases to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System from May 1 to July 12, 2020, were reviewed. Results: After the schools were reopened in May 2020, a total of 127 pediatric COVID-19 cases were confirmed until July 12. Of these, 59 children (46%) were exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 through family and relatives, followed by 18 children (14%) through cram schools or private lessons, 8 children (6%) through multi-use facilities, and 3 children (2%) through school. Conclusions: The present data do not suggest an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission in the context of stringent school-based infection prevention measures introduced across the country.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) mainly causes respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, sputum, and rhinorrhea, as well as digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain in children. In this report, we describe a case of a child with a SARS-CoV-2 infection who presented with epigastric pain and was subsequently diagnosed with acute pancreatitis without any concomitant infections in other organs. The epigastric pain was relieved with goal-directed vigorous fluid therapy for acute pancreatitis for 24 hours, and the serological and radiological findings normalized after two months. Acute pancreatitis should be considered as a differential diagnosis when a child with a history of COVID-19 visits the hospital with epigastric pain.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2020

The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the guidelines about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for children and adolescents. Case definitions and management of COVID-19 in neonates, infants, children and adolescents are presented in this guideline. In addition, guidelines for caregiver management are also provided. In this review, we introduce the contents of the current guidelines for COVID-19 in children and adolescents in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.515-522
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• 2023

Objectives: The pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exerted an unprecedented impact on the health of populations worldwide. However, the adverse health consequences of the pandemic in terms of infection and mortality rates have varied across countries. In this study, we investigate whether COVID-19 mortality rates across a group of developed nations are associated with characteristics of their healthcare systems, beyond the differential policy responses in those countries. Methods: To achieve the study objective, we distinguished healthcare systems based on the extent of healthcare decommodification. Using available daily data from 2020, 2021, and 2022, we applied quantile regression with non-additive fixed effects to estimate mortality rates across quantiles. Our analysis began prior to vaccine development (in 2020) and continued after the vaccines were introduced (throughout 2021 and part of 2022). Results: The findings indicate that higher testing rates, coupled with more stringent containment and public health measures, had a significant negative impact on the death rate in both pre-vaccination and post-vaccination models. The data from the post-vaccination model demonstrate that higher vaccination rates were associated with significant decreases in fatalities. Additionally, our research indicates that countries with healthcare systems characterized by high and medium levels of decommodification experienced lower mortality rates than those with healthcare systems involving low decommodification. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that stronger public health infrastructure and more inclusive social protections have mitigated the severity of the pandemic's adverse health impacts, more so than emergency containment measures and social restrictions.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.181-197
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• 2021

Objectives : This study reports a 42-year old female inpatient who visited for recurrent herpes zoster on the right hand and right side of the face on 5 days after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. She already had 2 times of herpes zoster prior to this outbreak. Methods : During 10 days of hospitalization, both treatments were simultaneously applied to her. For Korean medical treatment, acupuncture, herbal medicine including Sipjeondaebo-tang, and Hominis Placenta pharmacopuncture were mainly used. Collaborating with internal medicine of our hospital, essential medications for herpes zoster including antihistamine, corticosteroid, and acyclovir were administered. To assess symptoms, taking photos and numerical rating scale(NRS) were used. Results : On the 3rd day of hospitalization, erythema on the right hand disappeared. On the 4th day, discomfort arisen by zoster lesions dropped from NRS 8, which was initially evaluated, to NRS 0. Facial lesion also steadily improved. At the moment of discharge, erythema on the right side of oral angle disappeared and mild traces of vesicular lesions remained on the right hand. Conclusions : Considering her medical history, the recent recurrent herpes zoster was suspected as an adverse event of COVID-19 vaccination. Unlike general course of herpes zoster, the skin lesions and discomfort were rapidly improved owing to the collaborated treatment during the 10 days. This study may be the first literature on herpes zoster following COVID-19 vaccination in Korea.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.370-387
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• 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for safe and effective vaccines. Research to develop vaccines against diseases including Middle East respiratory syndrome, Ebolavirus, human immunodeficiency virus, and various cancers would also contribute to global well-being. For successful vaccine development, the advancement of technologies such as antigen (Ag) screening, Ag delivery systems and adjuvants, and manufacturing processes is essential. Ag delivery systems are required not only to deliver a sufficient amount of Ag for vaccination, but also to enhance immune response. In addition, Ag types and their delivery systems determine the manufacturing processes of the vaccine product. Here, we analyze the characteristics of various Ag delivery systems: plasmids, viral vectors, bacterial vectors, nanoparticles, self-assembled particles, natural and artificial cells, and extracellular vesicles. This review provides insight into the current vaccine landscape and highlights promising avenues of research for the development and improvement of Ag delivery systems.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2022

The clinical severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children is usually mild. Most of the affected patients completely recovered from COVID-19 before being released from approximately 7-day quarantine. However, children with comorbidities are at risk of more severe disease and adverse outcomes. We report three cases of COVID-19-affected adolescents with underlying chronic respiratory difficulty due to neurologic diseases who showed sudden clinical aggravations at the time of discharge, even after full clinical improvement. Patient 1 is a 17-year-old boy with Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy who had cardiopulmonary arrest 9 days after the initial COVID-19 symptoms. Patient 2 is a 17-year-old girl with intracerebral hemorrhage with infarction in bed-ridden status who had cardiopulmonary arrest 11 days after the initial symptoms. Patient 3 is a 12-year-old boy with intraventricular hemorrhage with hydrocephalus in bed-ridden status who showed multiorgan failure 10 days after the initial symptoms. Remdesivir, dexamethasone, and empirical antibiotics were administered with mechanical ventilation and intensive unit care. Among the three patients, two (patients 1 and 3) were alive, and one (patient 2) expired. Clinicians caring for adolescents with chronic neurologic and/or pulmonary disease should keep in mind that these patients could have sudden deterioration after recovery from the acute phase of COVID-19 around or after the time of discharge.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.34-49
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• 2024

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, 'overcoming infectious disease' has emerged as a priority task for most policies. Each country has implemented policy programs to significantly shorten the vaccine development period with the goal of rapid vaccine development. This study judged this process to be a shock to the existing social and technological system and its recovery. Accordingly, the United States' Operation Warp Speed, CEPI's 100 days mission, and Japan's SCARDA were selected as examples of policy programs with 'rapid vaccine development' as their mission and analyzed difference from traditional vaccine development system in terms of rapid development. As a result, it was confirmed that the accumulation of innovative resources was shared as the key to achieving the mission in the preparation stage before the outbreak of an infectious disease. However, it was also possible to discover an approach to shortening the period of each stage without fundamentally changing the vaccine development structure itself.