Grandchildren reunited after a long time, greeting with kisses?..."Dangerous even without COVID-19"

On the 27th, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, a mother and child are moving at the Seoul Station platform to board the KTX train bound for Busan. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] As we face the second Lunar New Year holiday during the COVID-19 situation, experts have expressed concerns about the risk of infection through contact among family members.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the 30th, the number of new COVID-19 cases reached 17,532, marking the highest figure for six consecutive days. Additionally, the number of patients receiving home treatment increased by more than 8,000 in one day, totaling 66,972.

Despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, mobility during the Lunar New Year holiday is increasing.

Experts urge that even when families gather during this holiday, excessive expressions of affection should be restrained to ensure a healthy holiday.

When indoors, people tend to remove masks and get close to talk, and grandparents may kiss their grandchildren because they find them adorable, but there is a risk of COVID-19 infection.

Professor Choi Pyeong-gyun of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Seoul National University Hospital emphasized, "Since there is more close contact indoors, the risk of exposure to droplets is higher, so wearing masks is relatively more necessary."

Experts also explained that careless actions can expose people not only to COVID-19 but also to herpes virus infections.

Professor Lee Mi-sook of the Department of Infectious Immunology at Kyung Hee University Hospital said, "Since more than half of adults carry the herpes virus, indiscriminate kissing can harm the health of grandchildren."

Herpes virus infections vary widely, from simple herpes diseases causing blisters on the skin and mucous membranes depending on the infection site, to severe illnesses such as meningitis and encephalitis accompanied by high fever, seizures, and changes in consciousness.

If there are blisters on or around the lips, the probability of herpes virus infection in the baby is high, so not only kissing but also close skin contact should be avoided.

Meanwhile, health authorities view this holiday period, when mobility increases, as a critical moment in the Omicron variant pandemic. They also urge people to refrain from family gatherings and travel as much as possible and to strictly follow quarantine guidelines.

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