Tag: COVID-19

Remember after the Delta variant the Korean government tried to a living with COVID strategy to almost immediately scrap it when the omicron wave hit. I guess this time we will se if the Korean government actually means to start living with COVID:

As COVID-19 infections are gradually showing signs of slowing down, the government is gearing up to shift to a “post-Omicron” era, in which the coronavirus might be treated as an endemic disease and COVID-19 might be managed more routinely within the general medical system. 

The country added 164,481 new infections on Saturday, raising the aggregated total to 15,333,670. The number of patients in a critical condition marked 1,114, with 329 COVID-19-related deaths.

The health authorities view that infections have entered a downward trend, with nearly 30 percent of the country’s population of 51 million having been infected.

While the government plans to announce a detailed roadmap for the post-Omicron era later this week, it has already started scaling down pandemic response measures.

Beginning Monday, screening centers installed at public health centers will no longer offer free rapid antigen tests, as local clinics are set to play a bigger role in testing and treating patients. The public testing sites will only offer PCR tests to priority groups, such as people aged 60 or over.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

Here is a new propaganda angle Chinese state media is using to deflect blame for the recent COVID spread in China:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed regret over Chinese state-run media depicting clothes imported from Korea as the possible source of COVID-19 infections in China.

“China has recently stepped up quarantine measures not only on clothes they import from South Korea but also for almost all imported goods from other countries,” a ministry official told reporters, Thursday. “But some government offices or Chinese state-run media are failing to properly explain the whole context of the matter and, therefore, are making inappropriate and inconsiderate remarks, which is not desirable in terms of Korea-China relations.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but with the state control of the media people in China are very likely to believe this nonsense.

It appears the Moon administration before leaving office might do away with all COVID restrictions:

The government has decided to ease COVID-19 social distancing measures further, Friday, in what is anticipated to be the last adjustment on the distancing rules before scrapping all quarantine regulations in the coming weeks. 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday that it will relax social distancing measures from Monday to April 17, allowing multiuse facilities such as eateries and cafes to receive sit-in customers until midnight, pushing the limit on operating hours back by one hour to midnight from the current 11 p.m. 

The limit on the number of people for private gatherings will be eased to 10, up from the current eight. 

The ministry said all COVID-19-related curbs, except mandatory wearing of face masks, will be removed if the virus situation stabilizes in the next couple of weeks.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

I guess we will see how long this regulation lasts since the incoming Yoon administration is opposing it:

A ban on coffee shops and restaurants offering disposable plastic cups will be reinstated on April 1, but the incoming administration of Yoon Suk-yeol is already objecting.     
   
The ban on disposable cups, which was first instituted in 2018, was temporarily lifted during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Environment Ministry, stores that fail to comply face fines of up to 3 million won ($2,400).    
   
In June, a system in which retailers have to pay for returned empty bottles and cans will be implemented.    
   
The transition team for the Yoon government has asked for the disposable cup ban to be put off.   

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

It looks like South Korea’s COVID numbers is beginning to trend downward to finally match what is going on in much of the rest of the world:

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 cases fell below 200,000 for the first time in 25 days Monday, as the omicron-driven virus peak appears to have passed amid growing concerns over the spread of the even more transmissible “stealth omicron” subvariant.

The country added 187,213 new coronavirus infections, including 25 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 12,003,054, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. 

It is the first time since March 2 that the daily caseload dropped below 200,000. On March 2, the figure came to 198,803.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It appears even USFK is beginning to understand they need to learn to live with COVID by allowing travel to Seoul and indoor dining and movie theaters are also allowed. However, off-post bars, clubs, saunas, spas and karaokes are still off limits:

 The command overseeing U.S. troops in South Korea has lifted its pandemic ban on nonessential travel to Seoul after keeping the city off-limits more than three months. 

U.S. Forces Korea did away with the ban on Thursday, according to a news release. The command is responsible for about 28,500 service members, along with civilian employees, contractors and their families. 

USFK reminded its population to adhere to all South Korean rules and regulations aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19. “USFK will continue to monitor and assess the COVID environment and will make additional adjustments to protect the force and our mission,” the release said.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

This is going to make life much easier for units that have been supporting troops in quarantine for the past two years:

Fully vaccinated American troops, family members and military contractors are no longer required to quarantine upon arrival in South Korea. 

U.S. Forces Korea, the command responsible for roughly 28,500 troops on the peninsula, announced in a press release Tuesday that it has done away with a mandatory seven-day COVID-19 quarantine for international arrivals “based on recent [South Korea] policy changes.”

South Korea’s government on Monday dropped a similar policy for vaccinated travelers; however, those who arrive from Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Myanmar are still required to isolate. 

To meet USFK’s fully vaccinated qualification, personnel must have either received a single or two-dose COVID-19 vaccine regimen within 14 to 180 days, or received the full vaccine series and a booster shot.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

South Korea’s daily COVID rate continues to shatter records:

South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 cases spiked to more than 600,000 on Thursday, setting another record high, fueled by the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant amid an easing of virus curbs.

The country reported 621,328 new COVID-19 infections, including 62 cases from overseas, raising the total to 8,250,592, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. 

The latest tally marks a 55 percent surge in just one day. South Korea has seen a spike in the caseload since it reported the first five-digit figures in late January of this year. Since then, the numbers have grown fast, surpassing 300,000 on March 9.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but remember the days when the Moon administration was gloating about their COVID policies and wanting it to be a model for the world. Looking back it appears the Swedes were right all along.

It seems like countries that tried the COVID Zero strategy are now the ones experiencing massive outbreaks. New Zealand and Hong Kong, like South Korea were all hailed as COVID success stories and all three have largely given up now on stopping COVID:

Korea reported a record 342,446 new Covid-19 infections on election day, and one in 10 people in the country have contracted the virus.  
   
Wednesday’s count was up 139,726 from the previous day, or 68.9 percent, and crossed the 300,000 mark for the first time. All but 58 cases were locally transmitted, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).  
   
The total caseload now stands at 5,212,118, exceeding 5 million for the first time. That is 10.2 percent of the country’s total population of 51.3 million people.  
   
On Feb. 28, health authorities warned the pandemic would peak at up to 350,000 daily cases around mid-March based on the predictions made by research institutes. After then, the government scrapped the vaccine pass system to get into restaurants, bars and cafes, and the mandatory quarantine of virus patients’ cohabitants. It also relaxed a curfew on businesses by an hour to 11 p.m. Such eased public health measures, along with and more transmissible strain of the virus known as “Stealth Omicron,” led to the sharp rise in infections.

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

It is amazing how COVID just continues to spread in South Korea, but there has been a sharp drop in the mortality rate. Last month it was .84% and now it is .24%:

South Korea’s daily coronavirus cases surpassed 200,000 for the first time Wednesday as the highly transmissible omicron variant continues its frenetic spread across the nation.

The surge came after the government temporarily suspended the enforcement of the vaccine pass system Tuesday, citing the lack of staff handling the pandemic. 

The country reported a record high of 219,241 new coronavirus infections, including 219,173 local cases, raising the total caseload to 3,492,686 according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The daily caseload exceeded 100,000 for the first time in mid-February.

Virus-related deaths fell to 96 on Wednesday from 112 a day earlier, bringing the death toll to 8,266. The fatality rate was 0.24 percent, the KDCA said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but the fact that South Korean teachers are handing out self test kits to kids in schools will likely mean the daily case rate number will only rise further.