The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on Friday told localities not to suspend state vaccination programs without discussion with the public health authorities.

“We have sent directives to local administrations so that they do not decide the suspension of inoculation independently and cooperate for the smooth implementation of the central government’s national vaccination program,” the agency said in a news release.   

KDCA’s position came after some district and municipal administrative offices asked local hospitals to put off influenza vaccination.

As of 1 p.m. Friday, 36 people died in the country after getting flu shots.

KDCA, based on the views of experts both within and outside of the agency, said it has temporarily concluded that these deaths have little, if any, direct relationship with inoculation. “Particularly, older adults, children and pregnant women, the so-called high-risk groups of influenza, could suffer heavier damages without vaccination,” it said.

Faced with mounting public concerns about possible adverse effects of vaccination, however, the agency said that it would hold a meeting and decide whether to continue vaccination later in the day.     

The flu shot fears have grown among the people since the first death of a 17-year-old high schooler was reported on Oct. 16. KDCA said Friday the death had nothing to do with the vaccination, citing an autopsy result.  

At a news conference, KDCA Commissioner Jung Eun-kyeong said her agency has no death-related criteria for suspending vaccination would quickly reach a conclusion based on investigations.

Commissioner Jung, however, pointed out the fact two persons died after receiving flu shots made by a company, adding that the agency was ready to discard the whole lot.

On Thursday, KDCA confirmed that at least 70,000 people took the same product, and 150,000 vaccines were produced with one lot number.

As the number of deaths continued to rise, political parties, including the main opposition People Power Party, and the Korean Medical Association (KMA) urged the government to suspend the national flu vaccination project at least for one week.

“The vaccine products administered to the deceased were all different and that they did not receive the drug at the same medical institution,” KDCA Commissioner Jung said. “The possibility of a link between the deaths and vaccines is low, and we are cautious about stopping the flu vaccine project.”