Authorities "Cannot Rule Out Possibility of 4th Wave in March-April"

Unexpected Challenges Such as Social Distancing Fatigue and Vaccine Expectations

On the 3rd, citizens are waiting for tests at a temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Plaza. The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the same day, there were 467 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, bringing the total to 79,311. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The government announced on the 4th that it cannot rule out the possibility of a fourth wave of COVID-19 occurring in March to April.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) quarantine team, said at a briefing on the same day, "The third wave is currently ongoing without stabilization." Yoon added, "Due to the prolonged social distancing, overall social acceptance is declining, and dissatisfaction at the field level is increasing. Along with this, if vaccinations begin in mid-month, the social atmosphere may relax due to expectations, which combined could lead to another wave in March to April. The authorities cannot completely rule out this possibility."

He also emphasized the importance of blocking infection chains, securing hospital beds, and adhering to daily quarantine rules in preparation. Yoon stated, "The sure way to continue the downward trend is to block infection chains through rapid epidemiological investigations and social distancing. Also, proper adherence to quarantine rules in daily life must be well coordinated so that even if a fourth wave occurs, it can be controlled and kept smaller than the third wave."

As of midnight on the same day, the number of new COVID-19 cases recorded was 451. This marks two consecutive days of cases in the 400s since the weekend effect disappeared the day before.

Additionally, concerns are increasing as variant viruses emerge as a new variable. As of the previous day, a total of 39 variant virus infections have been confirmed domestically. In particular, with the addition of four variant virus infections related to a cluster outbreak among foreign relatives in the Gyeongnam and Jeonnam regions announced the day before, the possibility of community transmission cannot be excluded.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.