Indoor Mask Mandate Lifted, 69% of Citizens Say "Reasonable Decision"... 36% Believe "Wearing Level Won't Last 6 Months"

An indoor mask-wearing mandate adjustment notice for public transportation is posted at Sinchon Station on Subway Line 2 in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Regarding the adjustment of the indoor mask-wearing mandate to a recommendation, 7 out of 10 people perceived it as a reasonable decision. However, about half of the respondents viewed the level of mask-wearing in major indoor facilities as similar to before the adjustment. This suggests that the lifting of the indoor mask mandate is gradually and smoothly being accepted by the public without confusion.

According to the results of a COVID-19 perception survey conducted on the 17th by Professor Yoo Myung-soon’s team at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health in collaboration with the professional research agency KSTAT Research, 69.1% judged the quarantine authorities’ decision to lift the indoor mask mandate as a "reasonable decision" (50.0% somewhat reasonable, 19.1% completely reasonable).

On the other hand, regarding the level of indoor mask-wearing in six major indoor multi-use facilities such as restaurants and cafes, fitness centers, department stores and marts, performance halls and cinemas, religious facilities such as places of worship and temples, and educational and learning facilities, respondents generally answered that there was no significant difference. Although there were slight differences by facility, the majority responded that there was no special change after the recommendation adjustment in department stores and marts (62.4%), restaurants and cafes (57.3%), and performance halls and cinemas (52.7%). Those classified as high-risk groups, such as people aged 60 and over and those who have never tested positive for COVID-19, wore masks more frequently.

Regarding how long the current level of indoor mask-wearing is expected to be maintained, 36.0% answered "less than half a year," 30.5% "more than half a year," and 19.6% "about half a year." The conditions influencing the maintenance of indoor mask-wearing were ranked as "risk assessment related to the COVID-19 situation or other infectious disease outbreaks" (25.6%, based on first-choice answers), season (23.5%), and "psychological comfort or benefits provided by wearing masks" (17.3%).

Professor Yoo explained, "While the decision to adjust the indoor mask-wearing recommendation, excluding vulnerable facilities and public transportation, is seen as reasonable, the actual response shows that the adjustment is not a binary choice of wearing or not wearing masks but a gradual and phased process. I believe that adding survey results from one month or half a year later will help us better understand changes in intentions and behaviors related to indoor mask-wearing."

This survey was conducted through an online web survey method targeting 1,000 adult men and women aged 18 and over nationwide, using proportional quota sampling by region, gender, and age. The survey period was from the 7th to the 10th of this month, and the sampling error was ±3.10% at a 95% confidence level.

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