Jung Sye-kyun: "We have passed the major hurdle of the 3rd wave, but certainty is difficult... New quarantine standards to be decided tomorrow"

COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is presiding over a video conference of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) for COVID-19 response held at the Government Seoul Office on the morning of the 25th. February 25, 2021. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on the 25th, "We cautiously believe that we are overcoming the major hurdle of the third wave of (COVID-19), but it is still difficult to be confident that we have entered a stable phase," adding, "We will decide tomorrow on the quarantine standards to be applied from next week."

Prime Minister Chung made these remarks while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 at the Government Seoul Office in the morning. He said, "We will make a cold-headed judgment on the current situation." Although the number of confirmed cases has not significantly increased ten days after the Lunar New Year holiday ended and social distancing levels were adjusted, daily confirmed cases still remain in the 300 to 400 range, making it a situation where the government cannot afford to be careless.

Regarding the COVID-19 vaccination scheduled to begin tomorrow, Prime Minister Chung said, "With the earnest hope of all citizens wishing for a return to normal life, the government will surely realize the dream of herd immunity by the targeted time." The government aims to achieve herd immunity by November. He added, "The biggest risk in the early stages of vaccination is still quarantine," and urged, "We must learn from the experiences of many countries that hastily started vaccination at the end of last year and suffered great confusion due to the winter surge and relaxed social vigilance."

He continued, "If the fourth wave becomes a reality after starting vaccination, medical response capacity will be rapidly depleted, and we may have to endure greater pain and patience for quarantine again," emphasizing, "We must maintain social vigilance and create a solid quarantine system ourselves to make vaccination a 'K-Quarantine Season 2'."

In particular, regarding fake news circulating about COVID-19 vaccines, he warned, "If the public distrusts vaccines and avoids vaccination, herd immunity will be nothing but an illusion," and cautioned, "Viewing vaccines through the logic of politics, money, or self-interest will only bring social distrust and conflict, pushing the hope for a return to normal life further away."

Furthermore, with concerns about illegal rallies during the upcoming March 1st Independence Movement Day weekend, he requested, "The National Police Agency, Seoul City, and related agencies should thoroughly block any attempts at illegal gatherings and respond strictly according to law and principles if violations occur," and urged, "Groups preparing rallies should immediately withdraw their plans for the health and safety of the public."

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