2 hours ago
photo source, News 1
On the afternoon of the 11th, Nogari Alley in Euljiro, Seoul, is crowded with citizens.
As the quarantine authorities judged that the corona 19 epidemic was outside the peak period, it is expected that all restrictions on private gatherings and business hours will be lifted from next week, except for key rules such as ‘wearing an indoor mask’ for the first time in two years.
The government plans to announce on the 15th a new distance adjustment plan, which will be applied from the 18th, and a plan to prevent quarantine and normalize the medical system.
Earlier, the government announced the current distancing plan on the 1st and said, “If the epidemic turns significantly on the decline for two weeks and the critically ill patients and the medical system show a stable level, business hours and private gatherings except for key rules such as ‘wearing an indoor mask’ We will review the lifting of all measures, including large-scale events and events.”
photo source, News 1
On the 14th, a person in charge of the temporary screening test center in Yongsan Station, Seoul, is giving information on the Corona 19 test.
Implementation of the ‘Together Corona’ system
The government emphasized that now is the time to change the quarantine response system, judging that it is out of the peak period of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Koh Jae-young, a spokesperson for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on the 14th, “It is judged that the peak of the epidemic has completely passed.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the daily average number of confirmed cases recorded 404,604 during the peak of the third week of March, and 218,490 in the first week of April, which is 54% of the peak.
In the case of this week, the daily average number of confirmed cases for 5 days from April 10 to 14 was 161,966, which was 40% of the peak.
However, the number of new confirmed cases is still not small at 100,000, and the number of re-infection cases is increasing, and there is a possibility that new mutations and recombination mutations may occur.
“It is a time when we need to prepare for a new daily life while maintaining vigilance and transition to an efficient quarantine management system,” said Koh. explained that
Previously, Son Young-rae, head of the social strategy division at the Central Accident Resolving Headquarters, said on the 13th, “If it is a nationwide collective immunity system considering the end of Corona 19, it is very difficult to achieve such a state.”
“COVID-19 is predicted to transition to a system of living together rather than ending in the future,” Sohn explained.
photo source, News 1
A citizen is receiving the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Sacred Heart Hospital in Jingu, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul on the 14th.
4th vaccination administered over 60 years of age
In order to prevent serious deaths, the quarantine authorities will implement the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine starting on the 14th for those over 60 who were born in 1962 or earlier.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team announced that it decided to expand the target of vaccination when the proportion of those aged 60 and over among all confirmed cases recorded more than 20% in the first week of this month. As time passed, the effect of the third vaccination decreased, and the number of elderly confirmed patients increased.
In addition, he added that the decision was made in consideration of the results of studies in foreign countries such as the United States and Israel that the severe preventive effect of the third dose decreases after 4 months after the third dose.
The promotion team actively recommended the fourth vaccination, stating that the fatality rate for people over 80 years old is 17 times that of people in their 60s and 4 times that of people in their 70s.
The target of the fourth vaccination is those aged 60 years or older who wish to receive the vaccination 120 days after the third vaccination. The vaccines are Pfizer and Moderna, and Novavax vaccine is also available.
Considering the interval between inoculations, the promotion group estimates that the number of subjects for the fourth vaccination will be about 10.66 million as of the end of this month.
photo source, News 1
Tourists are waiting for departure procedures at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 on the 14th, when the government lifted the special travel advisory for the first time in two years.
‘Special travel advisory’ lifted from the 14th
The government has lifted the special travel advisory for all countries and regions for the first time in over two years since the spread of COVID-19.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, “The special travel advisory will be lifted and the system will be switched to the existing travel warning issuing system for each country from the 14th.”
Accordingly, 22 countries, including Singapore, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands, and Guam and Saipan will be downgraded to Level 1, and 129 countries, including the UK, Germany, and France, will be downgraded to Level 2.
26 countries, including China and Russia, maintain special travel advisories. Existing departure advisory travel warning level 3 and travel ban level 4 will be maintained in countries and regions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that prior to the implementation of this measure, it has comprehensively considered the COVID-19 trend, including the vaccination rate, whether or not the vaccination certificate is mutually recognized, the trend of consultations in the travel safety area, and measures to restrict entry of foreigners for short-term visits.
In the future, we plan to continuously review the adjustment of travel warnings on a quarterly basis, and to make adjustments from time to time for countries with rapid changes in quarantine status.