Brakes Applied to Quarantine Pass "Vaccination Is Necessary... The Problem Lies in the Government's Coercive Communication"

[Controversy Over Quarantine Pass... Experts Say]

"Blaming Unvaccinated for Quarantine Failure"
"Still Need to Guard Against Vaccine Ineffectiveness Claims"

Government Appeals Court Suspension
"Will Operate Minimizing Public Inconvenience"

On the afternoon of the 4th, an official is posting a notice about the 'Suspension of the Quarantine Pass' at a study cafe in Sinchon, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The court has put a brake on the vaccination proof and negative test confirmation system (quarantine pass) for educational facilities such as academies, and the government immediately filed an appeal. While quarantine experts agree on the necessity of vaccination, they criticized the government's coercive communication method for causing public distrust.

According to the government on the 5th, the application of the quarantine pass to academies, study rooms, and study cafes has been suspended from the day before until the related case's ruling is announced, following the Seoul Administrative Court's injunction (suspension of effect) request. Although criticism has continued that the government is "forcing vaccination" as it continuously expands the quarantine pass to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this is the first time a brake has been applied.

This has been evaluated as a misstep caused by the government's one-sided communication method. Until now, the government has consistently expressed its intention to push forward, saying that the introduction of the quarantine pass for restaurants, cafes, and academies is an "inevitable measure" despite criticism that it restricts citizens' basic rights. Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH), explained the day before, "The quarantine pass aims to minimize infections among the unvaccinated to protect them and also to preserve the capacity of the medical system because the burden on the healthcare system caused by the unvaccinated is excessive," asking for understanding of its inevitability.

However, the introduction of the quarantine pass for academies has been perceived as forcing vaccination on adolescents, and the use of restaurants and cafes by the unvaccinated has been severely restricted, leading to continuous criticism that the government is discriminating against the unvaccinated. This ultimately resulted in the unprecedented suspension of the quarantine pass. Professor Kim Woo-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital pointed out, "The current communication is shifting the government's failure in quarantine onto the unvaccinated and demonizing them," adding, "They are not rejecting vaccination blindly but have reasons such as adverse reactions after vaccination and insufficient government compensation, so a positive approach to resolving these issues is necessary."

The government emphasized that it would operate the quarantine pass while minimizing public inconvenience, filing an appeal against the court's decision. The Ministry of Justice announced that morning, "Regarding the request for immediate appeal by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, considering the seriousness of the national quarantine system due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, we have directed an immediate appeal." In administrative litigation, an immediate appeal against an injunction decision must be filed within one week from the date of notification.

Jeon Hae-cheol, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (Minister of the Interior and Safety), said, "We are implementing the quarantine pass system by limiting the target facilities to protect the unvaccinated, prevent the spread of infection, and secure medical response capacity," adding, "We will operate it in a balanced way to minimize inconvenience to the public during the application of the quarantine pass in the future."

However, experts warned that this measure should not be perceived as a denial of the quarantine pass or vaccines themselves. Professor Jung Jae-hoon of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Gachon University College of Medicine said, "The government's lack of communication and explanation efforts must be reviewed," but explained that "the purpose of the quarantine pass is both to block transmission by infected persons and to prevent infection among the unvaccinated," calling the court's decision medically regrettable. Professor Kim also urged, "Vaccination and social distancing are the basics of quarantine," adding, "The government must implement policies that satisfy constitutional values with scientific evidence and procedural legitimacy."

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