Authorities: "COVID-19 Spread Rebounds... Vaccine Pass Applies to Facilities Based on 'Infection Risk Level'"

Medical staff are collecting specimens at the temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The quarantine authorities have warned that the declining trend of COVID-19 spread is showing signs of a slight rebound and urged caution. Regarding the controversy over fairness by facility raised with the introduction of the 'vaccine pass,' they indicated that the current draft is likely to be maintained, as it considers the 'risk of infection.'

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, stated at a regular briefing on the morning of the 27th, "We are observing a tendency for the scale of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which had been continuously decreasing for three weeks, to slightly rebound." He attributed this to "various complex factors," including ▲the easing of various quarantine measures and expansion of private gatherings since last week, ▲increased movement and activities due to heightened expectations for daily life recovery, and ▲a sharp change in weather leading to more indoor activities and difficulties in ventilation.

With Halloween just four days away, he especially urged compliance with related quarantine rules. Son said, "When people stay indoors for long periods, making it difficult to wear masks during meals or drinking, or when engaging in loud talking, singing, or intense exercise for extended times, the probability of infection in enclosed spaces inevitably increases. Even when gathering, please keep it as brief as possible, continuously pay attention to ventilation, and strictly follow basic quarantine rules such as wearing masks."

Meanwhile, regarding the fairness controversy arising from the differing application of the vaccine pass system?based on vaccination and negative test confirmation?across facilities, he reiterated that it is solely based on the risk of infection.

Son explained, "In the case of subways, there is no behavior such as intense activity or removing masks to engage in continuous conversation inside. From a risk perspective, there are no factors that make subways more dangerous than gyms where intense exercise takes place." He added that actual infection cases through public transportation over the past year and a half have been extremely rare.

He emphasized, "Indoor sports facilities like gyms inherently involve intense exercise and continuous indoor presence, which structurally increases the risk of droplet emission. This has been a major factor triggering numerous cluster infections during the fourth wave." To prepare for these risks as various sports activities resume, he explained the intention to prioritize the application of vaccination proof and negative test confirmation systems to minimize infection risks during the transition.

He also explained that concerns about a surge in demand for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests due to the introduction of the negative test confirmation system are not significant. Son said, "In 3 to 4 weeks, over 90% of people in their 20s to 40s will have completed vaccination. The overall size of the unvaccinated population among adults aged 18 and over will significantly decrease, and only those attending high-risk facilities or large-scale events will require PCR negative certificates, so the demand is not expected to explode." This means that the current PCR testing capacity is sufficient to handle the demand.

Regarding the possibility of charging fees for PCR tests, the briefing also mentioned plans to consider this in the mid to long term. Son stated, "In the process of continuously revising the phases of daily life recovery in the mid to long term, we will review whether partial charging is necessary depending on the purpose. However, we are not currently considering charging fees immediately."