Residents expressing anxiety over policy shift to 'Living with COVID-19'

People wait in long lines to go through COVID-19 testing at a temporary testing center in Seoul's Songpa District, Thursday. Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

An increasing number of residents here are expressing anxiety over the government's policy shift to the “Living with COVID-19” scheme, as the country's new coronavirus cases have stayed above 2,400 for the second consecutive day.

The policy shift, which took effect Monday, is aimed at achieving a “return to normalcy” through a gradual phasing out of many coronavirus-related restrictions. The government has already eased key social distancing measures from that day, lifting the limitations on operating hours for restaurants, cafes and movie theaters.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Thursday, the country added 2,482 new COVID-19 cases for Wednesday, including 2,457 local ones, raising the total caseload to 373,120.

The latest daily caseload figure, which went up by 371 from a week ago, came after Tuesday's daily caseload figure of 2,667 marked the fourth-largest number since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in January of last year.

“When I first heard the government's announcement of the plans for its policy shift, I thought a time of great expectations would come. But this has been changed to a time of great anxiety,” a 40-year-old man working for a shipping firm in Seoul said. “At night, many restaurants and cafes are crowded with a lot of people following the lifting of the limitations on hours of operation and the easing of private gathering bans. I am afraid that daily infections will increase more explosively.”

Those who have been fully vaccinated are also expressing concern, as breakthrough infections involving people who tested positive for the virus even after getting fully vaccinated continue to be reported.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the number of breakthrough infections has continued to increase in recent months, from 1,180 in July, to 2,764 in August, to 8,911 in September and 10,092 in October.

“I received both of my AstraZeneca shots earlier this year, but I'm not sure if I am safe from the coronavirus,” said a 64-year-old housewife in Gyeonggi Province.

Fans enjoy a basketball game between the Jeonju KCC Egis and Changwon LG Sakers at the former's home turf, Tuesday, as the government's “Living with COVID-19” strategy, which took effect a day earlier, increased the stadium's maximum capacity to allow for more spectators. Yonhap

Pregnant women and parents with young children appear to be particularly vulnerable to virus infections, which have been increasing under “Living with COVID-19.”

“Though the government advised pregnant women to get vaccinated, I decided to do so after my baby is born, due to concerns over possible abnormal reactions that could affect me and my baby,” said a 39-year-old woman who is 32 weeks pregnant and lives in Seoul's Jungnang District. “I have had to worry about possible infection throughout my pregnancy, so had to be very careful for months. But now, it feels like everyone can get infected with the virus now that the 'Living with COVID-19' scheme has been implemented.”

Medical experts warned that the nation's new daily infections will inevitably continue to increase with the eased social distancing rules, calling on the government to prepare thoroughly for a possible shortage of intensive care unit beds for coronavirus patients.

“The country's daily caseload could reach 4,000 to 5,000 soon. The year-end and New Year's will be critical moments, as many parties and gatherings are expected to take place,” said Chun Eun-mi, a respiratory disease specialist at Ewha Womans University Medical Center.

Regarding the mounting concerns, the government said, citing cases in overseas countries, that infections would continue to increase for the time being but show a stable trend at some point.

It said it would suspend its “Living with COVID-19” scheme if 75 percent of the intensive care unit beds allocated for coronavirus patients become occupied.