While the Omicron pandemic is showing a gradual decline, the government decided today (1st) to slightly ease the current social distancing for two weeks from the 4th.
If all quarantine measures are lifted, there is a risk of a sharp increase in the number of confirmed cases, so the maximum number of private gatherings will be increased by two more to 10, and the business limit for multi-use facilities such as restaurants and cafes will be extended by one hour until midnight. We have chosen 'gradual mitigation'.
This is the fourth adjustment following three adjustments since February 18, which have been steadily easing quarantine measures.
However, there is a possibility that distancing will be lifted completely after this adjustment.
The government announced that if the epidemic situation is stably managed, it will 'boldly' reorganize the distance at the next adjustment.
We are not extending the distance anymore, suggesting that this may be the 'last distance'.
Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom, speaking at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting today, mentioned the social distancing adjustment plan and said, "If the medical system is stably managed while reducing the severity and death over the next two weeks, the remaining quarantine measures such as social distancing will be taken. Next time, we will boldly reorganize it.”
As a result, it is predicted that the 'completely lifted' distance will be possible in two weeks.
As the Presidential Takeover Committee has publicly requested the abolition of the restrictions on business hours for multi-use facilities, and the demand for it is strong mainly among small business owners and the self-employed, the observation that the next adjustment will enable 24-hour operation of multi-use facilities is prevailing. do.
In a situation where the limit on the number of people at private gatherings is no longer meaningful, if the business hours limit for a multi-use facility is lifted, it can be seen that the distancing is abolished.
Social distancing started in May 2020 and has been going on for nearly two years.
On November 1, last year, the government changed the quarantine system to a 'step-by-step recovery' and relaxed quarantine measures, judging that the seriousness and fatality rate would be lowered due to the effect of vaccination.
However, as there were concerns about the collapse of the medical system due to the explosion of confirmed cases and severe cases, we eventually returned to social distancing on December 18 last year.
If social distancing is lifted again as planned on the 18th, it will be an attempt to 'restore to daily life' again after about half a year.
However, there are many tasks that need to be prepared in order to continue the difficult daily recovery.
In particular, the top priority is to improve the medical system so that it can respond to the surge in confirmed cases and severe cases.
The actual number of confirmed cases has recently turned to a moderate decline, but the number of severe cases has risen to an all-time high, and the death toll is pouring in at a rate of 300 to 400 every day.
As of 00:00 today, the number of new confirmed cases was 28,273, a decrease of about 40,000 from yesterday, but 1,299 patients with severe cases and 360 deaths were recorded.
While carefully seeking an exit from the COVID-19 pandemic that has lasted for more than two years, we are in a grave and ironic situation where we have to deal with an unprecedented level of death and critically ill patients.
Experts emphasized that the medical response should be refined more carefully to minimize the damage of high-risk groups.
Eom Joong-sik, professor of infectious disease at Gachon University Gil Hospital, said in a media call today, "It is unlikely that the number of COVID-19 deaths in April and May will be less than the number of deaths in the past two months." It cannot be reduced,” he said.
Professor Eom also said, "New mutations can occur at home and abroad, and if quarantine is relaxed, it could affect the possibility of a large-scale epidemic." he added.
The government is also gradually transforming the medical system into a 'daily system'.
The idea is that COVID-19 confirmed patients will be treated at all medical institutions just like flu patients.
The government previously allowed patients infected with COVID-19 during inpatient treatment to continue receiving treatment in a general hospital rather than an isolated ward.
In addition, in order to minimize the progression of gastroenteritis, we have secured oral (edible) treatments Paxrovid and Lagevrio, and are supporting the prompt prescription.