S. Korea mulls over downgrading Covid-19 health risk, lifting all remaining mask mandates
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South Korea is planning to lift all remaining mask mandates everywhere, including in vulnerable places by early August.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL – South Korea plans to loosen Covid-19 restrictions and lower its infectious disease rating by early August, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Sunday.
The government is also considering completely implementing its “second phase of daily recovery measures” in July. Its first phase and a part of its second phase have been implemented since June 1.
Under the second phase, the official infectious disease rating for Covid-19 will be adjusted from level 2 to level 4, treating Covid-19 similarly to influenza.
All remaining mask mandates will be lifted everywhere, including in vulnerable places.
Covid-19 testing costs and medical expenses will be covered only for those who need intensive care, while medicine and vaccination costs will remain subsidised for all.
A recent surge in Covid-19 cases, however, could affect the government’s decision. While there were 16,025 cases in the third week of June, up to 26,708 cases were recorded in the second week of July.
If the second phase gets implemented as planned, the third phase, which symbolises the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, will begin. The KDCA expects to announce the third phase in April 2024. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
