[Desk Column] Another Challenge of COVID-19: Children

The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in South Korea has surpassed 100,000. This comes just over a year and two months since the first confirmed case was reported domestically on January 20 of last year. Compared to countries like the United States, Europe, and Japan, which struggled with early COVID-19 containment, South Korea can be considered to have performed relatively well. However, when looking at countries like Taiwan, which are regarded as models in epidemic control, there are still areas where the response is unsatisfactory. It is indeed enviable to see countries such as Israel and the United Kingdom swiftly rolling out vaccinations and moving closer to the day when masks can be discarded.

Gaps in prevention measures are still visible in many places. Confirmed cases continue to emerge steadily not only in religious facilities, workplaces, and logistics centers but also in everyday settings such as saunas and restaurants. With growing fatigue over COVID-19 restrictions and increased indoor and outdoor activities during spring, concerns about a potential fourth wave are rising. Recently, there have been repeated incidents of people violating government guidelines by gathering in groups of five or more for drinking sessions late into the night. According to a public perception survey released by the government on the 24th, 87.3% of respondents reported experiencing stress. Of these, 85.7% cited uncertainty about when the COVID-19 pandemic will end as the reason. The longer the fight against COVID-19 continues, the more exhausted we become.

Nonetheless, many citizens have actively participated in slowing the spread of COVID-19 by adhering to the government’s prevention guidelines. The efforts of healthcare workers and officials on the front lines of epidemic control must not be overlooked. Despite some deviations and moral hazards, the majority of the public has done well enough to deserve applause, encouragement, and support from one another.

It has become clear how we should respond to COVID-19. We must slow the spread of the virus as much as possible and accelerate the pace of vaccinations. After debates over vaccine safety and efficacy, more than 700,000 people have received their first dose. Healthy adults will likely only be able to get vaccinated by the third quarter at the earliest. This means a long time remains before herd immunity is established in our society and masks can be removed. Until then, the biggest challenge is how well we can endure while suppressing the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible. In the United States, there have been 30 million confirmed cases and 550,000 deaths so far. Although daily vaccinations have increased to 2.5 million, more than 50,000 new cases and around 1,000 deaths continue to be reported every day.

Attention must also be paid to those struggling in the rapidly changing environment after COVID-19. Many self-employed business owners have closed their doors, and many people have lost jobs and are surviving by borrowing money. Government support must continue to help these individuals recover after the pandemic ends.

Particular concern is needed for children and adolescents. Many parents worry as they watch their children attend online classes at home. Some children are engrossed in games and webtoons until dawn, while others have rapidly deteriorating eyesight from constantly handling their smartphones all day. They are not properly developing social skills that come from studying and playing with friends at school. The academic gap between those who receive private education such as academies and tutoring and those who do not is also a serious issue.

These children are likely to be called the “COVID generation” in the future. We must ensure that this generation grows up healthy to become the future leaders of South Korea. There will be many tasks for politicians and the government to prepare for in advance. Alongside immediate epidemic control, it is time to also consider the somewhat distant future together.

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