Quarantine officials talked about the possibility of returning to daily life on Friday, saying they will manage Covid-19 like the seasonal flu.
"Although the number of new virus cases keeps increasing, we have decided to gradually lift the quarantine regulations and try again to restore daily life -- provided the severity and fatality rates remain stable and the medical system has sufficient capacity," said Lee Ki-il, the first controller at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH).
Regarding the timing of the restoration of daily life, the government will consider the fatality rate, severe aggravation rate, and the medical community's preparations, Lee added.
The CDSCH also reviewed the possibility of transitioning to a routine quarantine and medical system similar to seasonal flu while evaluating the medical system's capacity, severity, and fatality rate. The government, which had taken the first step towards a step-by-step recovery in November, suspended recovery measures as the situation rapidly deteriorated with the advent of the Omicron variant.
It is the first time that quarantine officials hinted at handling Covid-19 like seasonal flu since Korea confirmed its first patients more than two years ago. The remark also came only a day after the officials denied the possibility of easing quarantine controls like in some European countries.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed 27,443 cases on Friday, about four times higher than the daily tally of Dec. 22, when the Delta variant was prevalent. However, the number of severe patients fell to 257, a quarter of two weeks ago.
The proportion of elderly Covid-19 patients at high risk of exacerbating severe symptoms has also fallen from 16.6 percent in the last four weeks to 8 percent. Compared to mid-December, when the proportion of the elderly with confirmed cases exceeded 30 percent, that marks a significant decrease. In addition, during the same period, the death toll almost halved from 361 to 183.
"The government believes there will be a rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases in the short term. In the mid- to long-term, however, there is a positive aspect that the severity and fatality rate will decrease further, lessening the burden on the medical system," Lee said. "Our position is to respond to this situation without tightening restrictions any further from now if possible.”
However, suppose a crisis such as an overload on the medical system or a rapid increase in the number of deaths occurs. In that case, the government will consider implementing additional quarantine measures, such as restricting private gatherings and business hours.
Earlier in the day, the quarantine authorities actually announced they would extend the current social distancing rules for another two weeks.
Under the current social distancing curb, the government bans private gatherings of more than six people and imposes a 9 p.m. curfew on bars, cafes, and restaurants.
To curb the rise of serious cases, the government also decided to lower the age of eligibility for Covid-19 treatment pills from 60 to 50, starting Monday.
Some European countries, such as the U.K., Sweden, and Finland, where the Omicron’s peak has passed, lifted quarantine measures despite the continued increase in new virus cases.
Sweden will lift most quarantine measures from next week and Finland from March 1. Italy is also pushing ahead with measures to ease quarantine regulations in earnest as the spread of Covid-19 is showing a downward trend.
These countries have lifted quarantine measures, judging that their immunity has improved through vaccination and that the severe and fatal rate is at a level they can handle.
However, France and Germany, which have not yet reached the peak of the Omicron wave, are taking a more cautious approach by strengthening the quarantine pass and providing booster shots.
Japan has also recently reintroduced business hour restrictions as the number of new cases has rapidly increased, while Australia has decided to implement a vaccine pass.
Medical experts stressed that the Korean government needs to take caution about mitigating quarantine measures as the Omicron wave has not yet peaked.
They pointed out that it is unclear whether the severity of the aggravation rate will continue to decrease, given the prediction that the daily tally could reach 100,000 or more as early as late February.
"I am concerned whether there is an overall plan in the run-up to the Omicron’s peak," said Chun Byung-chul, a professor of preventive medicine at Korea University College of Medicine. "An explosive increase in the number of confirmed cases can lead to a paralysis of the entire society."
Moreover, Chun added that the quarantine authorities have yet to present guidelines on a business continuity plan (BCP) for government offices, hospitals, schools, and business corporations.