The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) commissioner Peck Kyong-ran suggested the timing for adjusting the obligation to wear indoor masks will come as early as January next year.
“We are reviewing a policy of adjusting the provisions of administrative orders and fines for compliance with mask-wearing quarantine guidelines, and gradually shift to a policy of recommending wearing masks indoors,” Peck said during a daily task force meeting Thursday. “An expert group is currently discussing the standards and methods.”
Peck stressed that depending on the situation of the future pandemic, the implementation period will be between January next year at the earliest and March at the latest.
“However, even if the mandatory mask-wearing measures are converted to recommendations in most indoor settings, mask-wearing may remain mandatory for essential facilities for the protection of high-risk groups,” Peck said. “Voluntary wearing of masks will continue to be necessary according to the situation.”
Peck explained that the government decided to review adjusting the indoor mask-wearing obligation as the pathogenicity of Covid-19 has weakened somewhat, many people have antibodies toward the virus due to vaccination and natural infection, and the fact that a large-scale epidemic in the future is unlikely.
“The reason why the government has not set a date is that the current epidemic has not reached a downward trend, and the fact that Korea still requires a little more time to vaccinate its elderly population with the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine,” Peck said.
During the meeting, Peck emphasized that while the government is considering lifting the indoor mask rules, the effectiveness of wearing a mask to prevent infection is clear without controversy.
“Many studies conducted before and after the Covid-19 epidemic scientifically prove the effectiveness and necessity of wearing a mask,” Peck said. “Wearing a mask is the most basic measure to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus and reduce the burden on the medical system.”
However, wearing a mask comes with various inconveniences in daily life, and it is time to review adjustments for related policies, she added.
On Thursday, Korea added 65,253 new Covid-19 infections, including 48 cases from abroad, bringing the total caseload to 27,548,821, according to the KDCA.
The nation also reported 61 more Covid-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 30,908. The fatality rate stood at 0.11 percent. The number of critically ill patients came to 435, down six from the previous day, the KDCA said.