Will Outdoor Mask Mandates Be Enforced During the Holiday Season Amid COVID-19 'Doubling'?

Over 20,000 Daily Cases for Two Consecutive Days
'Doubling' Phenomenon Continues for 7 Days
Mobility Surges After Easing of Social Distancing

On the 11th, as the COVID-19 resurgence phase began, the screening clinic set up at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul was crowded with citizens seeking testing. / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] As the sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic begins and the summer vacation season overlaps, concerns are growing. This is because social distancing measures have been relaxed, leading to increased activity levels. Since the government has effectively determined that COVID-19 has entered a phase of resurgence, it seems highly likely that the new quarantine policies will include more strengthened measures.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Central Disease Control Headquarters, the number of new confirmed cases on the 11th increased by 12,693, bringing the cumulative total to 18,524,538. The so-called "doubling" phenomenon, where the number of confirmed cases roughly doubles every week, has continued for eight consecutive days.

Previously, COVID-19 showed a steady decline after the large-scale spread of the Omicron variant peaked. However, it appears to be rebounding as the Omicron subvariant BA.5 (BA-five) spreads. The BA.5 variant is known to transmit 35.1% faster than BA.2 (Stealth Omicron) and has characteristics that evade existing immunity, making breakthrough infections or reinfections more likely.

The increase in mobility and indoor activities due to the relaxation of social distancing is also problematic. According to the Korea Federation of Credit Card Associations on the 11th, the total card approval amount in May, when social distancing was lifted, was 99.3 trillion won, a 20.7% increase compared to 82.3 trillion won in the same month last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the 2nd, when heatwave warnings were issued in most regions nationwide, vacationers visiting Sokcho Beach were cooling off from the heat. Beaches along the East Coast of Gangwon will open sequentially starting from the 8th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

With the summer vacation season underway, some beaches are crowded with people, increasing the risk of large-scale spread. According to the Gangwon Province East Coast Headquarters on the 10th, Sokcho Beach in Gangwon Province recorded 152,605 visitors the previous day and 90,097 visitors on the day of the report.

Given this situation, voices calling for the reinforcement of social distancing measures are emerging. The government has also indicated that the new quarantine policies to be announced on the 13th may be strengthened as it effectively recognizes the start of a resurgence. Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a regular briefing on the 8th, "We will announce next Wednesday, along with an overall epidemic curve forecast, whether it is necessary to change various quarantine measures including social distancing, and if changes are made, how the response measures can be adjusted."

Meanwhile, today (the 11th), the Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee, which advises the Yoon Seok-yeol administration on its "scientific quarantine" policy decisions, will hold its first meeting. The advisory committee will discuss agenda items such as ▲ operation plans for the advisory committee meetings ▲ preparation and response plans for the summer resurgence of COVID-19 ▲ review of adjustments to the isolation requirements for confirmed cases through a video conference starting at 7 p.m. today.

Since the current epidemic situation differs from the past, it is unlikely that the government will reintroduce high-intensity measures such as restrictions on business hours or the number of people allowed. Instead, measures such as re-mandating outdoor mask-wearing or restricting visits to nursing hospitals are reportedly being considered.

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