Review of shortening the quarantine period for confirmed cases... What is the transmission power over time?

<Anchor> The

government is reviewing measures to reduce the quarantine period for corona confirmed patients.

Let's talk with medical reporter Cho Dong-chan.

[Cho Dong-chan, medical reporter (specialist): Recently, the Japanese Institute of Infectious Diseases analyzed the infectivity of Omicron by period.

The greater the amount of live virus in the body, the greater the risk of infection.

Until 2 days after the diagnosis, the high risk of transmission was about 10%, but it soared to 50% between the 3rd and 6th days.

After 7 days, it fell below 10% again.

The day after the five-day quarantine is when the risk of infection is still high.]

[Cho Dong-chan, medical reporter (specialist): Recently, Denmark surveyed 1.8 million people.

Among people who have had Omicron, the chance of getting Omicron or Stealth Omicron again is less than 1 in 1,000.

89% of reinfected people were unvaccinated, and the chance of getting the vaccine and getting infected again is less than 1 in 100,000.

If the inoculation rate is high and there are a lot of cumulative confirmed cases, the infectivity of Omicron drops sharply.

That is why the quarantine period is shortened or the duty is eliminated.

Since we have 14 million cumulative confirmed cases and the national vaccination rate is 87% higher, the conditions for shortening the quarantine period seem to be in place.

However, it is better for the confirmed person to refrain from outside activities for a few days after the quarantine is lifted.]

[Cho Dong-chan, medical reporter (specialist): The UK lifted the self-quarantine obligation and at the same time eliminated the cost of living support.

If you want to rest, you have to use your own vacation.

In principle, state support also disappears when it changes from duty to recommendation.

The UK is using that money to buy vaccines and treatments for high-risk groups.]

[Cho Dong-chan, medical reporter (specialist): We are also considering changing to a recommendation that is not mandatory for the general public as in other countries.

But what about high-risk facilities?

If an infection occurs in a nursing home or facility, the damage is enormous.

Workers here need to be quarantined if confirmed.

However, it is necessary to weigh the pros and cons by comparing the risk that the medical staff will infect the patient with the possibility that the patient will worsen because the medical staff cannot work.

So even now, confirmed medical staff have reduced the quarantine period to three days if they are mild or asymptomatic.]

(Video editing: Kim Jong-mi, CG: Choi Ha-neul)