South Korea extends COVID restrictions till Oct 17 amid resurgence of cases

South Korea has extended the social distancing rules till October 17 in the wake of the rapid resurgence of COVID-19 cases including a ban on dining out after 10 pm. The Coronavirus cases in the country are witnessing an uptick with the registration of at least 2,000 cases each day for the last week marking an increase of about 42 per cent in just a week. The country has recorded 2,486 new COVID-19 cases on September 30, as per the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDC).

Meanwhile, the daily average has exceeded 2,635 in the past week which is also the highest-ever level and also double of the month before. The Coronavirus hotspots in South Korea include the capital Seoul along with its neighbouring regions. In the wake of the COVID-19 situation in the country, South Korean officials, as per the Crisis24 report have banned gatherings of more than four people and only private gatherings of up to eight in most locations are allowed if 50 per cent of them are fully vaccinated. 

In most parts of the country, people who have received just a single shot of the COVID-19 vaccine are not required to wear a facemask except when they are on public transport, indoor public areas or in large gatherings. Additionally, among the restrictions is the facilitation of staggered commuting and lunch timings for employers with over 50 workers. The officials have reportedly recommended companies to allow up to 20 per cent of the staff to telecommute. 

South Korea to adopt 'with Corona' strategy

Meanwhile, the South Korean Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol said on September 28 that the government is planning to devise a plan for a phased return to normalcy and for the same, it has recommended the ‘With Corona’ strategy. 

During an inviting debate hosted at the Korea Artist Center in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, Kwon said, “Considering other countries with high vaccination rates, we are reviewing whether to maintain the current social distancing system. It is quite difficult for the people to continue to comply with the current quarantine restrictions." Kwon said that because the immunological impact develops two weeks after vaccination, they are considering using the 'With Corona' system starting in early November.

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