"Indoor Masks, Can They Be Removed Starting January Next Year?"... First Discussion on Adjustment Direction

Discussion Intensifies at Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters Meeting Chaired by Prime Minister Today
Expert Opinions to Be Gathered Through Public Forum Starting on the 15th

On the 11th, customers are wearing masks at the restaurant area of the domestic terminal of Gimpo Airport in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] As the winter resurgence of COVID-19 continues, the government has begun discussions on lifting indoor mask mandates.

On the morning of the 9th, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will start a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to intensify discussions on whether to transition to voluntary indoor mask-wearing and the timing of its implementation.

The quarantine authorities plan to review the recent COVID-19 outbreak situation and prepare directions for adjusting mask policies, including specific criteria for such adjustments. They will establish standards regarding the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, severe and fatal cases, winter vaccination rates, locations where mask removal is possible, and infection-vulnerable facilities where mask-wearing must continue. If certain criteria are met, indoor mask-wearing will be lifted.

They are also considering easing penalties such as fines for not wearing masks and promoting voluntary compliance. However, it is expected that no announcement will be made on whether the mandate will be lifted or the timing of its application during this meeting.

The quarantine authorities plan to hold public forums and gather expert opinions on mask removal starting from the 15th, and after final review by the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee, they will finalize and announce adjustment plans within the year.

Earlier, on the 7th, Baek Kyung-ran, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency), stated in a briefing, "We are reviewing adjusting the administrative orders and fines related to mask-wearing compliance and gradually transitioning to recommending and voluntary mask-wearing." She added, "If the criteria (such as outbreak conditions) are met, the implementation timing is expected to be as early as January next year and no later than March."

However, Baek emphasized, "Even if the mandatory mask-wearing in most indoor spaces is changed to a recommendation, essential facilities protecting high-risk groups may still remain under mandatory rules," adding, "Voluntary mask-wearing will continue to be necessary according to the situation for one's own health."

Experts believe that lifting the indoor mask mandate may be somewhat premature given the potential increase in critically ill patients from COVID-19 as well as other respiratory infections like influenza during December and January.

Professor Lee Jae-gap of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital explained, "Since the COVID-19 outbreak is not subsiding and high-risk groups continue to be affected, and multiple viruses including pediatric respiratory infections are simultaneously spreading, it is difficult to completely lift the legal mask mandate immediately. It would be better to evaluate the situation after the winter outbreak and then sequentially lift the mask mandate when the public can feel reassured."

Jung Ki-seok, head of the COVID-19 Special Response Team and the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee, said, "Considering the increase in additional winter vaccinations and the continuous rise in confirmed cases including untested individuals, natural and artificial immunity combined will likely result in most of the population having immunity by the end of January next year." He added, "After completing expert public forums and reporting to the advisory committee, a detailed roadmap is expected to be released by the end of this month."

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