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Let's organize the corona news with Cho Dong-chan, a medical reporter.
Q. What is the reason for 'Enforcement of quarantine pass' for ages 12-18?
[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): I will explain while looking at the table.
Over the age of 18, the vaccination completion rate is 95%.
For those aged 60 and over, the third dose rate also exceeded 80%, which is the highest in the world.
On the other hand, the completion rate of vaccination for 12-18 years old is only 62%, so if Omicron becomes dominant, the number of confirmed cases will increase dramatically.
That's why you need a youth quarantine pass, the government.
However, there are no domestic corona deaths among the 12-18 year-olds, and there are few cases of severe cases.
Does it mean that the government policy is geared towards the number of confirmed cases rather than seriousness or death?
Even experts in the US, Australia, and the world-famous scientific journal Nature, who were the first to experience Omicron, Omicron stresses that adaptation is more important than containment.
In other words, it is necessary to find an adaptation method using vaccines and therapeutics.
A more flexible policy than the past strict containment policies centered on distancing, epidemiological investigation, and isolation seems to be needed.]
Q. What about the symptoms of Omicron?
[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): The biggest characteristic of Omicron is neck pain.
In a South African study, 52% and in Norway, 72% said it was as painful as a sore throat.
Most of the time, this is the first symptom, followed by a runny nose and sneezing.
It is assumed that Omicrons proliferate first in the neck and then ascend to the nose.
Also, as you can see, it is a big feature to have red spots on the arms or legs, like sweat spots.
If you have a very sore throat and sweat spots, you should wear a mask and get tested as soon as possible.]
Q. The 3rd dose is 3 months apart, right?
[Cho Dong-chan/medical reporter (specialist): I agree that we do it every 3 months to prevent delta damage in people over 60.
However, the World Health Organization is also opposed to the idea of preventing Omicron and giving the third dose three months later at all ages.
This is a study that was introduced last week in Nature.
It was found that the risk of becoming seriously ill if infected afterward was lower than that of infection within three months after completion of the vaccination.
The amount of neutralizing antibodies is small, but various immunity is stronger.
Several studies now show that a uniform 3-month inoculation interval is not correct.
The US and Japan are also five months apart, because scientific facts keep changing.
We also need to respond flexibly.]
▶ Starting tomorrow, the nationwide mart and academy quarantine passes will be 'released'...
youth retention