"Omicron Not More Fatal Than Delta"... Controversy Over Youth Quarantine Pass (Comprehensive)

South African Medical Research Council "Average Hospital Stay is Short"
Parents' Opposition Grows Over Youth Quarantine Pass

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunwoo Lee, Jihwan Park, Sojeong Seo, Jinju Han] Medical staff in South Africa reviewed the initial symptoms of COVID-19 Omicron variant confirmed cases and reported that although the spread is faster than the existing Delta variant, the fatality rate is not higher. While caution is needed regarding the spread of Omicron, experts suggest there is no need for excessive fear.

On the 5th (local time), Bloomberg News cited a report from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), which reviewed the initial infection symptoms in the Tshwane region where the Omicron variant was first discovered, stating that Omicron shows relatively mild symptoms compared to the existing COVID-19 virus.

According to the report, from November 14 to 29, 166 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 in general hospitals in the Tshwane region, as counted by South African health authorities. Among them, 42 COVID-19 patients selected for investigation by SAMRC on the 2nd received oxygen therapy, and 9 patients were treated with oxygen respirators. Four patients were transferred to intensive care units. The average hospitalization period during this time was 2.8 days, significantly shorter than the 8.5 days during the spread of the Delta variant. Regarding this report, Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), cautiously described it as "encouraging."

However, Asian stock markets, including South Korea, have not escaped Omicron fears. As of 10:06 a.m. on the 6th, the KOSPI recorded 2,940.44, down 27.49 points (0.93%) from the previous trading day. Investors are focusing on the spread trend of the Omicron variant, the U.S. interest rate hikes, and concerns over the default of Chinese real estate company Evergrande.

Domestically, controversy is growing over the youth quarantine pass. Parents are in a confused situation, urgently seeking private tutoring instead of academies after the government announced that from February next year, vaccination proof and negative test confirmation (quarantine pass) will also apply to teenagers. Kim, a man in his 40s living in Songpa-gu, Seoul, said, "I received the Moderna vaccine last September, and even as an adult, I suffered from high fever and muscle pain for three days," adding, "Worried, I tried to switch all the academies my high school daughter attended to private tutoring, but the waiting time is over two months."

Parents' backlash is also strong on online mom cafes. Oh, a working mom in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, said, "My son is in middle school and has a vacation coming up, so I am already worried about childcare," and criticized, "Including academies in the quarantine pass is practically forcing vaccination." Since study rooms and study cafes also require a quarantine pass for use, inquiries about facilities have been nonstop. A prospective high school senior said, "I tried not to get vaccinated if possible, but from this month, if I don't submit a vaccine certificate, I am told to leave, so I have no choice but to get vaccinated." Park, a student retaking the college entrance exam, said, "If I don't get vaccinated, I have to substitute with a negative PCR test certificate, but I am worried about having to get tested every three days and go to the study room."

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