Six out of 10 medical professors reported adverse reactions such as muscle pain to the extent that they had difficulty doing their job after getting a Covid-19 vaccine, a survey showed.

On Wednesday, the Medical Professors Association of Korea (MPAK) released the survey results on medical professors who completed the injection of the first Covid-19 vaccine.

Citing the results, the group claimed that the nation should give mandatory vaccine leave to allow people to take some time off after the Covid-19 vaccination.

The poll asked 533 medical professors from Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Ajou University College of Medicine, and Hallym University College of Medicine.

Among them, 60.6 percent said they experienced side effects such as muscle pain, fatigue, and a high fever that interfered with work or daily life after getting a Covid-19 vaccine. The other 39.4 percent said they did not have any side effect or their side effects were mild.

Ninety-six percent, or 511 out of 533 professors, received the AstraZeneca vaccine, and only 4.1 percent (22) got the Pfizer vaccine.

Most adverse reactions disappeared within 48 hours. Among those who suffered side effects, 64.7 percent said the symptoms persisted within 24 hours, 26.2 percent within 48 hours, and 9.1 percent, for more than 48 hours.

Only four professors (0.7 percent) said they would not get the second vaccine due to side effects.

MPAK called on the government to give mandatory time off after the Covid-19 vaccination.

“Medical professors who have medical knowledge about side effects of a vaccine but the general public might feel greater side effects,” MPAK President Kwon Sung-tack said. “For a successful control of the pandemic, a vaccine leave is a must.”