COVID-19 Quarantine Reduced from 7 to 5 Days Possibly This Week... Quarantine Requirement May End Around July

Spring without masks
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has lifted the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) after 3 years and 4 months, and the government is expected to lower the domestic crisis level from ‘Severe’ to ‘Alert’ as early as this week.

An official from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) stated on the 8th, “After convening the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee, we will hold a crisis assessment meeting to review whether to implement Phase 1 of the recovery roadmap.” Director Ji Young-mi of the KDCA, who participated in the PHEIC lifting decision, said, “We plan to promptly finalize the plan to downgrade the domestic COVID-19 crisis level (Phase 1) by comprehensively reviewing the results of the WHO Emergency Committee, the current domestic and international epidemic status, domestic quarantine and medical response capabilities, and major countries’ policy trends.” Earlier this year, as the global COVID-19 risk level decreased, the government announced the three-phase ‘COVID-19 Recovery Roadmap’ in March, anticipating the PHEIC lifting.

Once Phase 1 is implemented, the isolation period for confirmed COVID-19 cases will be reduced from 7 days to 5 days. Temporary screening clinics will be eliminated. The recommendation for PCR testing within 3 days of overseas entry will be abolished. COVID-19 statistics, previously announced daily except on Saturdays and holidays, will be provided only on a weekly basis. The responsibility for quarantine response will be lowered from the Prime Minister to the Minister of Health and Welfare. However, the indoor mask-wearing mandate in medical institutions will remain in place.

By around July, it is expected to enter Phase 2, where COVID-19 will be downgraded from a Class 2 to a Class 4 infectious disease. At this stage, masks can be removed even in medical institutions, and confirmed COVID-19 cases will no longer be required to isolate. Hospitalization costs due to COVID-19 will be provided only to severe patients and vulnerable groups. Upon entering Phase 3, which signifies endemic status, treatments will be integrated into the national health insurance system, and free vaccinations will be offered only to certain age groups. The KDCA aims to enter Phase 3 by the first half of next year.

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