The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year

  • 3

    TWICE becomes first K-pop group to win Billboard Women in Music award

  • 5

    Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun

  • 7

    Korea ranks 31st in international corruption perception index in 2022

  • 9

    Free subway rides for elderly emerge as headache for Seoul mayor

  • 11

    Samsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profits

  • 13

    Cyber University of Korea offers online Korean language programs for foreigners

  • 15

    Retailers return to Myeong-dong as more foreign tourists visit

  • 17

    Korea seeks measures to better protect foreign workers

  • 19

    AmorePacific Museum of Art brings Joseon-era folding screens to center stage

  • 2

    INTERVIEWProduction company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise

  • 4

    Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse

  • 6

    Hybe acquires 56.1 percent stake in AI sound startup Supertone

  • 8

    US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero

  • 10

    South Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drills

  • 12

    Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school

  • 14

    Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon

  • 16

    IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7%

  • 18

    Ex-Ssangbangwool chief said to have paid N. Korea $8 mil. in 2019 on behalf of Lee, Gyeonggi Province

  • 20

    Korean corporations' dividend payout system to follow global standards

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Thu, February 2, 2023 | 10:26
Health & Science
On first mask-free day, some feel uncomfortable with no masks
Posted : 2022-05-02 16:57
Updated : 2022-05-03 08:37
Ko Dong-hwan
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Students at Chonnam National University in Gwangju chat on Monday, the first day when the first relaxation of mask wearing regulations came into effect as the national daily COVID-19 infection case number continue to gradually decline. Yonhap
Students at Chonnam National University in Gwangju chat on Monday, the first day when the first relaxation of mask wearing regulations came into effect as the national daily COVID-19 infection case number continue to gradually decline. Yonhap

Daily COVID-19 infection cases drop to 20,084, lowest in nearly 3 months

By Ko Dong-hwan

Monday marked the first day when the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate came into effect, 566 days since the nation introduced it in October 2020. Despite the relaxed rules, people seen in crowded city streets on Monday morning included both masked and unmasked members of the public.

There were those with their mask in-hand while walking who only put it on when boarding public transport, so as to abide by the national quarantine regulations that still requires masks to be worn in enclosed or indoors spaces.

It may be that news of the mandate's lift on Monday hasn't reached all, as some wearing masks may still think the measure is in place. Or it may be that the eased quarantine regulation simply needs more time for more members of the public to put themselves at ease and expose their faces more comfortably.

"I feel weird that I don't have to wear it anymore," one of the passers-by wearing her mask in Seoul told The Korea Times, asking not to be named. "I think I've become accustomed to wearing it so I was reluctant to go outside without it this morning. I want to take time and see how others are doing before I decide to go mask-free."

First mask-free day on streets after 18 months [PHOTOS]
First mask-free day on streets after 18 months [PHOTOS]
2022-05-02 15:41  |  Photo News

One 39 year old man not wearing a mask, on the other hand, seemed vibrant. "I have been looking forward to this day," he said on his way to work in Seoul's Jung District. "I see that many people are still wearing them, but I guess they will eventually take them off. I hope I also don't need to wear it inside my office soon."

The outdoor mask mandate lift came as Monday saw 20,084 new COVID-19 infection cases from the previous day, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure is the lowest in nearly three months and also hit the lowest mark along the downward trend, which has been continuing throughout the past weeks. Monday's tally is a marked drop from the previous day's 37,771. It is the first time since early February that the daily count came down to the 20,000s.

The KDCA scrapped the mandate for outside spaces except for at large gatherings of 50 or more people. Those with possible symptoms of COVID-19 like fever, cough and sore throat, as well as old age, low immunity, chronic respiratory problems, and those who haven't vaccinated are still required to wear masks outside.

Students at Chonnam National University in Gwangju chat on Monday, the first day when the first relaxation of mask wearing regulations came into effect as the national daily COVID-19 infection case number continue to gradually decline. Yonhap
Employees at Government Complex building in Sejong stroll during a lunch break on Monday. Despite the lift of outside mask mandate on Monday, some still felt reluctant to take off their masks. Yonhap

Mask wearing is also still recommended when it is difficult for people to keep one meter distance from each other at gatherings and in circumstances where lots of droplets of saliva could be expelled, such as shouting and singing.

The country eased most of the strict social distancing restrictions in mid-April, including private gathering limits and business hour curfews.

Officials from the Korean Medical Association (KMA) said Monday that despite the country's major step toward normalcy with the eased quarantine measure, keeping a physical distance from each other even at outside and wearing a mask for those with high-risks of COVID-19 are still advised.

"Just because they no longer have to wear masks outside, doesn't mean they can let their guard down against COVID-19 from now on," one of the KMA officials said.

Some were still confused as to the exact definitions of "outdoor spaces" and "indoor spaces," as there were public areas many deemed didn't clearly fall under either of them, like open-air metro platforms. According to a theoretical explanation by experts, it can be defined as an outside space if spaces with four sides had at least two sides open, enabling natural ventilation.

Not having to wear masks at indoor spaces won't be an option for a while, according to an official from the KDCA's social strategic division. "It will be much longer until we can deem COVID-19 as an endemic disease," he said. To fall under that classification, the disease's ongoing contagious threats on a global scale would have to be stabilized more than at present, especially in China, according to the official.

For the KDCA official, the more complete picture of the country becoming safe from COVID-19 would require a much lower number of critically ill patients. The KDCA said Monday the country added 83 COVID-19 deaths from Sunday, bringing the total to 22,958. The number of critically ill patients came to 461, down 32 from the previous day's 493.



Emailaoshima11@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse Garbage collector mistakes sex doll for corpse
2Free subway rides for elderly emerge as headache for Seoul mayor Free subway rides for elderly emerge as headache for Seoul mayor
3Retailers return to Myeong-dong as more foreign tourists visit Retailers return to Myeong-dong as more foreign tourists visit
4Korea seeks measures to better protect foreign workers Korea seeks measures to better protect foreign workers
54 South Korean activists arrested for executing orders from Pyongyang 4 South Korean activists arrested for executing orders from Pyongyang
6President pledges support for Korean chipmakers to overcome crisis President pledges support for Korean chipmakers to overcome crisis
7Is non-consensual sex not rape? Is non-consensual sex not rape?
8Income gap widening among workers Income gap widening among workers
9Korea's presidential couple celebrates recovery of Cambodian boy who received heart surgery Korea's presidential couple celebrates recovery of Cambodian boy who received heart surgery
10Space industry takes off in South Jeolla ProvinceSpace industry takes off in South Jeolla Province
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Production company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise INTERVIEWProduction company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise
2TWICE becomes first K-pop group to win Billboard Women in Music award TWICE becomes first K-pop group to win Billboard Women in Music award
3Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun
4AmorePacific Museum of Art brings Joseon-era folding screens to center stage AmorePacific Museum of Art brings Joseon-era folding screens to center stage
5$120,000 banana, praying Hitler: Infamous art world prankster Maurizio Cattelan's first Seoul outing $120,000 banana, praying Hitler: Infamous art world prankster Maurizio Cattelan's first Seoul outing
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group