[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] With the Chuseok holiday approaching, parents of young children are increasingly worried. The risk of pediatric infectious diseases spreading rises sharply during the holiday period, when contact between people increases because of family gatherings and outdoor activities. Concerns about infection have grown particularly strong as the number of influenza patients has recently surged. In addition, many medical institutions close during the holiday, raising concerns about gaps in pediatric emergency care at night and on holidays. In an interview-style Q&A with Choi Yong-jae, president of the Korean Association of Pediatric Hospitals and director of Uijeongbu Tuntun Children's Hospital, we reviewed ways to prevent pediatric infectious diseases and accidents during the Chuseok holiday.
-Can children receive a flu vaccination before the holiday?
▶It depends on the child.
The start date for the 2026–2027 national childhood influenza immunization program varies depending on eligibility.
Vaccinations begin on September 21 for children eligible for two doses and for pregnant women. Vaccinations for children eligible for one dose begin on September 28.
In other words, before the holiday, only children eligible for two doses and pregnant women can receive the vaccination. Vaccinations for children eligible for one dose begin after the holiday.
Children eligible for two doses are those aged 6 months or older but under 9 years who have never received an influenza vaccination or have received only one dose.
-Will the current number of flu cases affect the holiday?
▶Yes. Children are driving the spread.
As of the first week of September, the number of influenza-like illness patients was 25.3 per 1,000 outpatients, about twice this season's epidemic threshold of 12.9. The number of hospital inpatients was 300, about 13 times the figure for the same period in the previous season.
The holiday is a time when families from different regions gather in one place and children spend long periods together. If a child has a fever or cough, postponing travel and gatherings is a way to protect both the child and elderly grandparents.
During an epidemic alert, health insurance covers antiviral prescriptions for high-risk groups, including children, based on a doctor's judgment even without testing. If a child is lethargic with a high fever and severe body aches, medical care should not be delayed, even during the holiday.
-Why should people be careful about food poisoning during Chuseok even though temperatures have fallen?
▶September sees the highest number of food poisoning patients of the year.
According to data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, there were 45 food poisoning outbreaks and 1,475 patients in September 2025, more than the 42 outbreaks in August and 37 in July. About 15% of the annual total occurred in September.
Salmonella was the leading causative pathogen, accounting for 79 outbreaks and 4,248 patients, or 43% of the total based on patient numbers. Salmonella outbreaks have continued to rise, from 32 in 2021 to 79 in 2025.
During the holidays, large quantities of food are often prepared in advance and left at room temperature for long periods. The following guidelines should therefore be followed.
▲Cook food to a core temperature of 75°C for at least 1 minute. ▲Eat food immediately after cooking or store it at 5°C or below in a refrigerator or at −18°C or below in a freezer. ▲Always wash your hands with a cleanser after handling eggs.
-What emergency conditions are common during the holidays?
▶According to a survey by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), airway obstruction caused by food becoming lodged in the throat occurred an average of 0.9 times per holiday day, 1.8 times the usual rate of 0.5. Food accounted for 87.5% of the causes, while children aged 0–9 accounted for 18.8% of cases. The hospitalization rate was particularly high at 41.2%, far above the overall hospitalization rate for injuries of 15.8%. Tough foods such as rice cakes and meat are dangerous.
Burns are another hazard. There were an average of 18.5 burn cases per holiday day, 2.18 times the usual rate of 8.5. The peak was not on the holiday itself but on the day before it, when there were 22.3 cases. Among children aged 0–9, food and beverages were the most common causes of burns, accounting for 35.6%, and 80.2% of the incidents occurred at home.
Traffic accidents were also most common two days before the holiday, increasing by about 30% compared with normal periods. The proportion of children aged 0–9 also rose. However, the car-seat usage rate among children aged 12 or younger was 62.5%, lower than the adult seat-belt usage rate of 77.3%.
Foreign-object ingestion also occurs mainly among young children. Over the past five years, 67.6% of reported foreign-object ingestion accidents involved children aged 7 or younger, while 56.3% involved children aged 2 or younger. Magnets were the most common item. Particular caution is needed during the holidays when older children's toys may be left on the floor.
The holiday begins not on the day itself but on the days spent preparing for it. That is why children should be kept out of the cooking area when large quantities of food are being prepared, and car seats should be checked before long-distance travel.
-What medicines should be kept on hand, and how should they be used?
▶The guidelines for antipyretics in Korea differ from information found online.
According to guidance from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Acetaminophen can be used in Korea from 4 months of age, while Ibuprofen and Dexibuprofen can be used from 6 months. Most childcare information found online is based on U.S. guidelines and often differs from those in Korea.
The recommended dose of Acetaminophen is 10–15 mg per kilogram of body weight per dose, administered at intervals of 4–6 hours, with no more than five doses per day.
It is advisable to write down the dose appropriate for the child's weight in advance and pack a measuring spoon.
During the holiday, it may be difficult to consult the medical staff who normally treat the child. If the child takes medication for a chronic condition, check the number of days covered by the prescription in advance to ensure the medication does not run out during the holiday.
If motion sickness medicine is used for long-distance travel, check the age restrictions.
Among oral motion sickness medicines, combination products should not be used for infants and young children under 3 or for breastfeeding women. They should be taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before boarding.
For motion sickness patches, use only products intended for children and apply just one patch behind one ear at least 4 hours in advance. Always wash your hands with soap after applying it.
If medication on the hands gets into the eyes, it can cause the pupils to dilate and vision to become blurred.
-If the fever does not go down, is it okay to alternate antipyretics?
▶There are conditions. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety advises against repeating the same antipyretic within the prescribed dosing interval. It also advises that different classes of antipyretics may be used according to a doctor's prescription while observing a dosing interval of 2–3 hours. In other words, alternating antipyretics is not prohibited outright but is allowed only under certain conditions.
There are two points that must be remembered.
Ibuprofen and Dexibuprofen belong to the same class. Alternating between the two is not cross-use but duplicate use of the same type of medication.
Antipyretic suppositories contain the same ingredient as Acetaminophen. Because the methods of administration differ, it is possible in practice for the two to be used together.
-When should a child receive medical care immediately, even during the holiday?
▶It is necessary to first examine the standards established by law.
The enforcement rules of the Act on Emergency Medical Care classify a fever of 38°C or higher in children aged 8 or younger as a symptom equivalent to an emergency symptom when medical services are difficult to access, such as on public holidays or at night.
A pediatric seizure is an actual emergency symptom, an even more serious category. Under the system, a young child with a fever above 38°C during the holiday should not simply be left to wait it out.
The "Call 119 in these cases!" criteria for children provided by the National Emergency Medical Center of the National Medical Center as part of its holiday guidance are as follows.
▲The child's lips are purple or the complexion is extremely poor. ▲The child appears to have difficulty breathing, makes an unusual sound while breathing, or cannot speak properly. ▲The child does not respond even when shaken, appears dazed, or is limp. ▲The seizure does not stop, or consciousness does not return after the seizure stops. ▲The child becomes limp after being unable to take fluids because of severe diarrhea or vomiting. ▲The child has extreme abdominal pain that cannot be soothed, persistent vomiting, or blood in the stool. ▲The child has hit their head hard and the bleeding does not stop.
The association adds two more points. A fever in an infant under 3 months of age requires medical attention in itself. Vomiting mixed with green bile may be a sign of intussusception, which requires emergency treatment; about 80% of intussusception cases occur between 6 months and 2 years of age.
-What should be done if a child has a seizure?
▶What not to do is more important than what to do.
First, lay the child on their side or turn their head to one side so that secretions in the mouth do not block the airway, and note when the seizure began and what it looks like. The Korean Pediatric Neurology Society recommends calling 119 and going to the emergency room if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.
There are also things that must never be done. Do not prick the child's fingers or toes with a needle. Do not put anything in the child's mouth, including commercially sold pills made from herbal ingredients. Do not give an antipyretic either.
Do not put a spoon or finger in the child's mouth. This could injure the child's teeth and the caregiver as well. Do not forcibly straighten or tightly hold the child's arms and legs.
Such measures, although well-intentioned, can actually put the child in danger.
Choi Yong-jae said, "When a child gets sick during a holiday, parents panic twice. Once because the child is sick, and again because they do not know where to go." He continued, "If you check E-GEN, 129, and the location of the Moonlight Children's Hospital in your area before the holiday begins, you can avoid that second panic."
Choi then urged parents to take note of another point, saying, "This holiday, I particularly want to emphasize one more thing. The influenza epidemic alert was issued more than a month earlier than usual, but the only children who can be vaccinated before the holiday are those eligible for two doses. Pregnant women can also be vaccinated before the holiday. You must check whether your child falls into this category."
Finally, Choi emphasized, "The purpose of influenza vaccination is not to prevent infection altogether, but to prevent it from progressing to serious complications such as myocarditis or encephalopathy. During a holiday when traditional foods, travel, and gatherings overlap, children's bodies are more exhausted than usual. Vaccination, handwashing, and not overexerting themselves when they are sick—these three things are all that is needed to protect children during the holiday."
Reporter Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
