"It's Too Early to Transition to 'With Corona'... 'We Can't Go Back to the Old Days'"

On the afternoon of the 7th, medical staff are administering the Pfizer vaccine at the COVID-19 vaccination center set up at the Mapo-gu Community Sports Center in Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Seoyoung] As COVID-19 vaccination rates increase, medical experts are raising concerns about discussions on 'With Corona.'

'With Corona' refers to the concept of seeking coexistence with COVID-19 under the judgment that complete eradication of the virus is difficult. Rather than focusing on reducing the scale of confirmed cases, this policy emerged with the aim of lowering mortality rates by concentrating on managing severe patients.

Recently, discussions on implementing the With Corona policy have been progressing rapidly in South Korea, supported by vaccination rates. The government has announced that once the adult vaccination completion rate exceeds 80% and the elderly vaccination completion rate exceeds 90%, the quarantine system will shift towards the With Corona approach.

However, there is criticism that discussions on With Corona are premature, especially ahead of the holidays. Currently, around 2,000 cases occur on weekdays, and considering the increased movement during the holidays, the transmission rate is expected to become much more severe. Additionally, there are concerns that the nationwide spread could be more fatal as the more transmissible Delta variant has become the dominant strain.

Some people who have been infected with COVID-19 have raised their voices, warning that one should not take the term With Corona lightly or dismiss it as a mild illness. Previously, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases under the Korea National Institute of Health announced survey results showing that over 50% of COVID-19 survivors continue to suffer from aftereffects even one year after recovery. The main aftereffects include decreased concentration, reduced cognitive function, memory loss, depression, and fatigue, along with symptoms such as loss of taste or smell and reduced lung capacity.

On the 16th, as 70% of the population is about to achieve the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, citizens who visited the vaccination center set up at Dongdaemun-gu Gymnasium in Seoul are being observed for adverse reactions after completing their vaccinations. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Health experts also pointed out that discussions on transitioning to With Corona should be carefully reviewed. Since COVID-19 is still classified as a serious disease, it should not be perceived as a contagious disease on the same level as the flu at this time.

Earlier, Professor Jung Jaehoon of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Gachon University College of Medicine posted an article titled 'The Hidden Numbers in With Corona' on his Facebook on the 6th. Professor Jung explained, "Many people consider With Corona as a complete relaxation of quarantine measures or the end of COVID-19, but in reality, it is far from that." He added, "Gradual relaxation will not reduce the total amount of overall damage. The problem is the collateral damage that occurs if the number of cases surges suddenly. If confirmed cases spike momentarily, additional damage due to medical system collapse may also occur."

Professor Jung stated, "The extent to which damage is distributed depends on the method of With Corona," and "The slope of the curve representing the increase in confirmed cases will vary depending on the speed and degree of quarantine relaxation." He emphasized, "Maintaining several essential quarantine measures can maximize the distribution of damage, but without rapid relaxation and preparation for essential systems, the same situations experienced by countries like the United States, Israel, and the United Kingdom after easing quarantine could be reproduced in our country."

Additionally, Professor Eom Jung-sik of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Gachon University Gil Medical Center said, "COVID-19 differs from the flu in its treatment system and response measures," and "The idea of accepting it like the flu is fundamentally invalid. The term With Corona, which causes misunderstandings, should not be used." Furthermore, Professor Jeong Gi-seok of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital stated, "COVID-19 is a deadly disease where 2 out of 100 patients require intensive care," and "It should not be accepted with an attitude of 'just endure it' like the flu."