[The Editors' Verdict] Omicron Emergency, Yet a Complacent Government

Portugal was filled with dreams of returning to normal life just a month or two ago. This Mediterranean country, with a vaccination rate of 86.9%, saw its daily COVID-19 cases drop to the 300s, gaining attention as a model country for "gradual return to normal life (With Corona)."

However, as soon as the reins on quarantine measures were loosened, the number of confirmed cases soared past 3,000. To make matters worse, on the 29th of last month (local time), 13 people were infected in a cluster with the new variant "Omicron," triggering an emergency.

Several European countries, which had higher vaccination rates than ours, had already entered the With Corona phase but tightened quarantine measures again as cases surged. Recently, with the emergence of the Omicron variant, they swiftly implemented lockdown measures and blocked entry from South African countries known as the epicenter. Japan, which neighbors us, took the extreme step of temporarily suspending all foreign entries.

As of the 29th of last month, Omicron has rapidly spread to 17 countries. Specific details such as the fatality rate of the Omicron variant have not yet been revealed. It is expected to take about two weeks to analyze accurate information.

The Omicron variant has 32 mutations in the spike protein, more than the existing Delta variant (16), raising concerns that it may evade immunity. In fact, St?phane Bancel, CEO of the American pharmaceutical company Moderna, said, "Existing vaccines may not be as effective against the Omicron variant as they are against the Delta variant." Even looking at the case of Portugal, which has a high vaccination rate, it appears likely that Omicron could neutralize existing vaccines.

Compared to the urgent actions taken by European countries, our government seems somewhat relaxed. The only measure South Korea has taken against Omicron is suspending flights from eight South African countries.

President Moon Jae-in, at a special inspection meeting on the 29th of last month, said, "Measures to block the domestic inflow of Omicron must be implemented without any gaps," but did not mention specific actions. This seems to be due to concerns that strengthening quarantine measures again shortly after declaring With Corona would heighten dissatisfaction among self-employed workers. Moreover, this is a sensitive time with less than 100 days remaining until the next presidential election.

However, one cannot help but think that the government's perception of the situation is too complacent. With daily confirmed cases already reaching 3,000 to 4,000, critically ill patients rapidly increasing, and even hospital beds running short, the impact would be significant if the Omicron variant lands domestically.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already called on member countries to respond with special caution. On the 29th of last month, WHO released a report stating, "The overall global risk associated with the new variant of concern, Omicron, is assessed as very high."

Unlike with the Delta variant, WHO quickly designated Omicron as a "variant of concern." On the same day, health ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) held an emergency video conference on Omicron and issued a statement saying the international community faces the threat of a highly transmissible variant and that urgent response is necessary.

Like us, the United States has not yet implemented additional quarantine measures but has recommended booster shots for all adults. This is an upgraded measure from the previous recommendation for those aged 50 and over or residents of long-term care facilities. The U.S. views the arrival of Omicron as a matter of time. The same applies to South Korea.

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