"Taking Off Masks Outdoors"... Why Caution Is Needed in Lifting Indoor Mask and Quarantine Mandates

Omicron Subvariants Rapidly Spreading in Countries Lifting Mask Mandates
Resumption of Overseas Travel and Holiday Season May Lead to Domestic Influx Soon
Reviewing Changes to Isolation Guidelines Based on Transitional Epidemic Situation

On the first day of outdoor mask mandate lifting, April 2, citizens are moving through the streets of Myeongdong, Seoul. The government judged that the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases, critically ill patients, and deaths are clearly decreasing, and the medical system is relatively stable, so from this day onward, the obligation to wear masks outdoors has been lifted. However, mask-wearing remains mandatory for gatherings of 50 or more people, events, performances, and sports game viewings where crowd density is high and there is a risk of droplet spread due to shouting. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Although the government lifted the outdoor mask-wearing mandate starting from the 2nd, it reaffirmed its position that the indoor mask-wearing mandate can only be considered for removal once COVID-19 reaches an 'endemic' level.

On the 2nd, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, responded at a press briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong that the indoor mask-wearing mandate is a "measure that must be maintained for a long period." He added, "To lift the mandate indoors as well, it would require a certain degree of variant presence and a significant stabilization of the global pandemic, meeting the so-called 'endemic' conditions before it can be considered."

Domestically, as of midnight on the same day, the number of new confirmed cases dropped to 20,084, falling into the 20,000 range for the first time in about three months. However, overseas, COVID-19 is resurging particularly in countries that had eased mask regulations after stabilizing the situation.

In the United States, where the COVID-19 wave had stabilized in early April, a subvariant of Omicron called 'BA.2.12.1,' which is up to 27% more transmissible than the BA.2 variant known as 'Stealth Omicron,' is spreading. In places like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where mask mandates were lifted except on public transportation, indoor mask mandates were reinstated as new cases surged due to the variant spread.

Italy, which had planned to fully lift the indoor mask mandate on the 1st, decided to postpone this plan until June due to a surge in confirmed cases. South Africa lifted the outdoor mask mandate on the 6th of last month, but following the spread of Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, daily new cases increased from the 1,000s to the 6,000s by the end of the same month.

With overseas travel resuming and the summer vacation season beginning, there are concerns that highly transmissible overseas variants could enter the country, potentially causing a rise in domestic cases as early as next month.

Son said, "No one in the world can predict when and how variants will appear," but emphasized, "It is important to strengthen surveillance and detect them quickly." He continued, "Although the number of new domestic cases is steadily decreasing, the pandemic will not end just like that," and predicted, "As the decline slows, we will enter a plateau phase, maintaining a certain level of cases with small fluctuations."

Meanwhile, the government plans to consider changing isolation guidelines for confirmed cases depending on the epidemic situation during the 'Post-Omicron Transition Period,' which lasts until the 22nd.

Regarding the timing for lifting the isolation mandate for confirmed cases, Son stated, "We will decide based on the trends in case reductions, severe cases, and deaths, as well as the preparedness of the healthcare system," adding, "We will assess whether conditions are sufficient at the end of the transition period." He also noted, "The government lifted the outdoor mask mandate that was enforced with penalties, but mask-wearing is a matter for citizens to decide voluntarily," emphasizing, "Wearing masks outdoors should also be respected," and expressed hope that "a culture of voluntary mask-wearing and mutual consideration will be fostered."

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