Expert: "Indoor Mask Removal Is Desirable... It Does Not Mean to Stop Wearing Masks"

Expert Panel Discussion

[Asia Economy Reporter Byun Seon-jin] “The lifting of the indoor mask-wearing mandate does not mean 'let's take off our masks.'”

As the government plans to change the indoor mask mandate introduced after COVID-19 to a recommendation, quarantine and health experts said, “The government needs to clearly convey the message that mask-wearing remains important even after the legal obligation to wear masks indoors is lifted.” This was stated at an expert discussion held on the afternoon of the 15th by the Central Disease Control Headquarters to discuss the criteria and timing for lifting the indoor mask mandate.

The expert discussion was organized because local governments such as Daejeon and Chungnam individually announced plans to lift the indoor mask mandate, prompting the government to establish common standards for lifting indoor mask-wearing. The quarantine authorities' stance is that “since Korea is a daily living zone, consistency in quarantine measures is important” (Jung Ki-seok, Head of the COVID-19 Special Response Team and Chair of the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee).

From Mandatory Indoor Mask-Wearing to Recommendation... "This is Desirable"

Experts agreed with changing the indoor mask mandate to a recommendation but emphasized that wearing masks remains important.

Professor Jung Jae-hoon of Gachon University’s Department of Preventive Medicine said, “The moment that most reduces the public’s perceived benefit of the indoor mask mandate is when people wear masks entering restaurants and cafes but take them off while eating,” adding, “It is desirable to shift indoor mask-wearing from a legal obligation to a medical recommendation. This does not mean that we should take off masks.”

Professor Jung suggested that the adjustment of the indoor mask mandate should proceed gradually in three stages. The first stage of the phased transition is when the seventh wave of COVID-19 stabilizes; the indoor mandate is lifted, but mask-wearing remains mandatory in specified facilities such as medical institutions and public transportation, with designated mandatory-wearing targets. The second stage considers lifting the mandate by age group. Professor Jung believes there is no basis for mandating mask-wearing for infants and toddlers. The third stage is the final phase after observing the next resurgence, where even the facilities designated in stage one for mandatory mask-wearing are released. Professor Jung advised, “After lifting the indoor mask mandate, the government needs to establish quarantine standards that are understandable and normative for the public, rather than overly detailed roadmaps.”

During the Quarantine Transition Like Mask Mandate Lifting... Efforts to Secure Severe Cases Beds Must Continue

There were also remarks that efforts such as securing beds for severe cases must continue during the COVID-19 quarantine transition, including the lifting of the indoor mask mandate.

Professor Lee Jae-gap of Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital’s Department of Infectious Diseases said, “At the peak of confirmed cases, the demand elasticity for severe case beds is low, so the government should act at least a month in advance to request hospitals to increase beds,” adding, “During periods when COVID-19 cases decrease, beds for severe cases should not be reduced but maintained at a certain scale.” He also added, “Therefore, the current compensation system that reimburses hospitals for losses due to COVID-19 should be maintained even after the quarantine transition.”

There was also advice that more communication between health authorities and the public is needed for sustainable quarantine policies. It was noted that even at the current stage, where public fatigue has increased since the mask mandate was introduced in October 2020, the authorities should have continuously shared the reasons with the public but failed to do so.

Professor Yoo Myung-soon of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Public Health said, “Even before the initial mandatory measures, people wore masks due to a dual motivation to protect themselves and the surrounding community,” adding, “As risk perception decreases over time and mask-wearing is no longer a matter of right or wrong, communication is needed to predictably explain how long masks should be worn.” Professor Yoo said, “When the mandate is adjusted, the government must clearly convey the message of ‘recommendation’ rather than ‘take off your masks,’ and through repeated communication with the public, observe which groups show significant changes in mask-wearing behavior.”

Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters: "Final Adjustment Plan to be Announced on the 23rd"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

After the expert discussion, the government will finalize the adjustment plan through discussions at the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee and announce it at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 23rd. The basic policy is to lift the mask-wearing mandate in indoor facilities such as restaurants and cafes, except for some high-risk facilities. The specific timing for lifting is expected to be between January and March next year, likely after the seventh wave subsides.

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