How to Get a Flu Shot in South Korea
October 6th, 2022
Listen up, expats!
Now we are in the season to prevent ourselves from seasonal diseases such as cold, influenza. Particularly in this pandemic era it has become more important to care about our own health and public health as well. The symptoms of both influenza and Covid are very similar that ordinary people can’t figure out which one is which, just looking to how the patient feels. And if you get these two things at the same time, you are going to get into a big trouble. I mean it wouldn’t be easy to get through all the rough things.
Every September Korean government suggests the public a guidance of the year to get a flu shot on a WHO’s advice. Like what age range can get a flu shot free, how many shots infants and toddlers need, and where to get a shot.
Getting a flu shot is not a government mandate. Korean citizens can choose whether to get it or not. Which means it is not covered by the National Health Insurance. So the price is the same to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you have Korean health coverage or not. Actually prices are different. It depends on how much the clinic prices the flue shot, and also it depends on which brand of flu vaccine they use, whether it is a domestic product or imported from oversea.
Basically there were two types of vaccines in Korea. A trivalent vaccine, called sam-ga(3가) in Korean and a quadrivalent vaccine, called sa-ga(4가). A quadrivalent vaccine covers more variants of influenza and is expensive than a trivalent. Since the pandemic only quadrivalent vaccines have been supplied following Covid regulations in South Korea.
The price is normally from 35,000 won to 40,000 won. Sometimes you can find a 25,000-won shot luckily in your neighborhood. So often some people travel to other city to get a cheaper shot. Korean citizens old age of 65 and over, age of 13 and under, or pregnant can get a flu shot free as of 2022.
Where to get a flu shot? Most of clinics and hospitals supply flu shots no matter what kind of medical practice they do, except dental clinics. So you can just visit any clinic nearby I believe.
I have had a flu, and it was so so painful that I was like “I’m gonna die”. I couldn’t move at all. As I remember, it was much worse than when I got Omicron this year. Since then I never miss to get a flu shot every year and neither do Alex and my kids.
I hope my post is helpful to you for your health life in Korea.