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| People waiting to receive a COVID-19 test stand in a long line that snakes outside a public health center in Songpa District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap |
Daily virus cases hit fresh high of 7,850
By Lee Hyo-jin
The government has decided to halt its "return to normalcy" plan and reinstate strong social distancing measures, as the country continues to grapple with its worst ever COVID-19 crisis.
The decision comes about six weeks since the implementation of the pandemic exit plan, under which the country was expected to gradually return to normalcy with eased distancing restrictions.
"We are taking the current virus situation very seriously and plan to implement tougher social distancing measures," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said during a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting, Wednesday.
"Among the measures currently under review are imposing stronger restrictions on private gatherings and putting limits on the operating hours (of multiuse facilities)," he said, adding that the government will announce detailed measures as soon as possible.
Kim noted that in line with the reintroduction of the distancing regulations, the government will come up with appropriate compensation measures for small business owners and the self-employed, who would have to "again endure pain."
The detailed measures are expected to be announced Friday and put into effect for the next two weeks through the year's end.
Despite criticism from health experts, the authorities had remained hesitant to roll back distancing rules amid snowballing daily new infections, critical cases and deaths in recent weeks.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported a record high 7,850 daily new infections for Tuesday, raising the aggregated total to 536,495.
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| Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum speaks during a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures meeting at Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap |
The vast majority of the new infections were reported in the greater Seoul area with 3,166 in the capital and 2,299 in Gyeonggi Province.
The number of patients in critical conditions also marked an all-time high of 946, while the death toll stood at 80, slightly down from the record high figure of 94 the previous day.
The KDCA added nine new cases of the Omicron variant, pushing the total caseload to 128, two weeks after the first cases were identified here Dec. 1. The health authorities are conducting genome sequencing tests on 29 additional suspected cases.
In order to curb any further influx of the variant from overseas, the government has extended the 10-day mandatory self-quarantine rule for all overseas arrivals for another three weeks until Jan. 6.
Under the measures, all inbound travelers, regardless of their nationality and vaccination record, must undergo 10 days of self-quarantine upon entering the country. Korean and foreign nationals with long-term visas will be allowed to isolate at their homes, while foreigners with a short-term visa of 90 days or less should quarantine at a facility designated by the government.
Foreign nationals from South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Malawi, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia will be banned from entering the country until Jan. 6.
Meanwhile, the government is striving to vaccinate children aged under 18, many of whom are yet to be inoculated.
Prime Minister Kim, Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae, and KDCA chief Jeong Eun-kyeong met with parents and students at a district office of education in Seongdong District of Seoul, Wednesday, to encourage them to receive the vaccine.
Regarding the plan to expand the vaccine pass system to teenagers from February, which is facing a fierce public backlash, the education ministry said it was considering either adjusting the details of the plan or postponing its implementation.
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| People stage a rally in front of district education office in eastern Seoul, Wednesday, to demand the government withdraw its plan to expand the COVID-19 vaccine pass system to children aged from 12 to 17. Yonhap |
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