Stricter steps urged to fight Delta variant
The daily number of new COVID-19 infections reached a record high for 2021, Tuesday, coming in at 1,212, including 1,168 domestic transmissions, pushing the total caseload up to 162,750, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure is the highest since Dec. 25 when daily new infections stood at 1,240 at the peak of the third wave of the pandemic. This is fanning concerns over a possible fourth wave of infections here.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the current social distancing regulations for the greater Seoul area will remain in place for one more week, but warned of tougher measures if the number of new COVID-19 cases shows no sign of abating in the next few days.
Well aware of the worsening situation, President Moon Jae-in instructed the government to use all possible means to curb the spread of the virus. "President Moon ordered steps to trace coronavirus infections swiftly and establish more testing facilities," Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said. To this end, Moon called for mobilizing military personnel, police officers and civil servants to better cope with the resurgence.
Around 80 percent of the new cases appeared in Seoul and the metropolitan area, mostly among young people in their 20s and 30s who have yet to be vaccinated. Infection clusters have grown swiftly in schools, office buildings and department stores, as the health authorities have cautioned people against the fast spread of the Delta variant. The KDCA said the number of such infections from June 27 to July 3 increased to 153, double the previous week's total.
Worse still, the Delta variant is twice as infectious as the initial coronavirus. For instance, a person was found to have been infected with the Delta strain after he stayed for 10 minutes and five meters away from an infected guest at a restaurant in Namwon, North Jeolla Province. The variant also reduces the efficacy of vaccines. According to Israel's health ministry, the effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in preventing infections and symptomatic illness has declined to 64 percent since June though it stood at 95 percent before.
Under these circumstances, the health authorities should place top priority on preventing the spread of the Delta strain by imposing stricter quarantine measures. The government decided recently to have all people including those who have been inoculated wear masks both indoors and outdoors. It has imposed a ban on drinking outdoors during nighttime and decided to implement the "one-strike, you're out" system for entertainment facilities and eateries without prior warning if they are found to have violated quarantine rules.
The authorities should take stricter measures to prevent mass infections and another wave of the virus. They also need to speed up vaccinations. Currently, 15.4 million people, or 30.1 percent of the country's population, have received one of the two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. We hope a recent vaccine swap deal with Israel will help increase the inoculation rate. All citizens also need to keep up personal hygiene protocols, wear masks and abide by social distancing guidelines faithfully. No one can overemphasize the importance of prevention and precaution.
The daily number of new COVID-19 infections reached a record high for 2021, Tuesday, coming in at 1,212, including 1,168 domestic transmissions, pushing the total caseload up to 162,750, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure is the highest since Dec. 25 when daily new infections stood at 1,240 at the peak of the third wave of the pandemic. This is fanning concerns over a possible fourth wave of infections here.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the current social distancing regulations for the greater Seoul area will remain in place for one more week, but warned of tougher measures if the number of new COVID-19 cases shows no sign of abating in the next few days.
Well aware of the worsening situation, President Moon Jae-in instructed the government to use all possible means to curb the spread of the virus. "President Moon ordered steps to trace coronavirus infections swiftly and establish more testing facilities," Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said. To this end, Moon called for mobilizing military personnel, police officers and civil servants to better cope with the resurgence.
Around 80 percent of the new cases appeared in Seoul and the metropolitan area, mostly among young people in their 20s and 30s who have yet to be vaccinated. Infection clusters have grown swiftly in schools, office buildings and department stores, as the health authorities have cautioned people against the fast spread of the Delta variant. The KDCA said the number of such infections from June 27 to July 3 increased to 153, double the previous week's total.
Worse still, the Delta variant is twice as infectious as the initial coronavirus. For instance, a person was found to have been infected with the Delta strain after he stayed for 10 minutes and five meters away from an infected guest at a restaurant in Namwon, North Jeolla Province. The variant also reduces the efficacy of vaccines. According to Israel's health ministry, the effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in preventing infections and symptomatic illness has declined to 64 percent since June though it stood at 95 percent before.
Under these circumstances, the health authorities should place top priority on preventing the spread of the Delta strain by imposing stricter quarantine measures. The government decided recently to have all people including those who have been inoculated wear masks both indoors and outdoors. It has imposed a ban on drinking outdoors during nighttime and decided to implement the "one-strike, you're out" system for entertainment facilities and eateries without prior warning if they are found to have violated quarantine rules.
The authorities should take stricter measures to prevent mass infections and another wave of the virus. They also need to speed up vaccinations. Currently, 15.4 million people, or 30.1 percent of the country's population, have received one of the two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. We hope a recent vaccine swap deal with Israel will help increase the inoculation rate. All citizens also need to keep up personal hygiene protocols, wear masks and abide by social distancing guidelines faithfully. No one can overemphasize the importance of prevention and precaution.
![[INTERVIEW] Ex-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/59da8df88faa4a50ad42945501b03bca.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[REVIEW] Musical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/3934be1fa6844478b619a015d610bc5b.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] How AmazeVR revolutionizes aespa's LYNK-POP concert](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/4431833759c44bdaa414cb314e90f2fe.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/df32c60c8204448e98ccdb9841366bec.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
