"Winter Forecast Uncertain"... Foreign Countries Return to Masks Amid Triple-Demic

Increased Importance of Mask Wearing Amid Concurrent Respiratory Disease Outbreaks
Moves to Reinstate Mask Mandate in LA, USA
Decision on Indoor Mask Mandate Lift in Korea Expected by End of This Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] While discussions about lifting the indoor mask mandate are rapidly gaining momentum in South Korea, countries around the world, including the United States and Europe, are turning their attention back to masks. This is due to the red alert in the quarantine situation caused by the so-called 'triple-demic' risk, where respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is spreading alongside the twin-demic of COVID-19 and influenza.

With highly contagious respiratory diseases spreading simultaneously, the United States is struggling. According to The Washington Post on the 7th (local time), the average daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations reached 4,650, a 27% increase compared to the previous week. The influenza hospitalization rate, which usually stays below 2 per 100,000 people in October and November, soared to 16.6 per 100,000 during the same period this year.

Amid growing concerns over the RSV outbreak, U.S. health authorities have encouraged mask-wearing. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), requested, "Please wear well-fitting, high-quality masks to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases." She particularly recommended mask use when boarding airplanes or using public transportation and emphasized the importance of mask-wearing in high-risk COVID-19 infection areas.

Currently, mask-wearing in the U.S. is a recommendation, but some regions, such as Los Angeles (LA), are showing signs of reintroducing mandatory mask policies. The Sacramento City School District also announced that it would decide on indoor mask mandates in schools based on the CDC's infection risk assessment.

Europe is facing a similar situation due to the RSV outbreak that began in October. On the 1st, heads of European health authorities, including the European Union (EU) Health Commissioner, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Director, issued a joint statement expressing concern about the triple-demic. They warned, "Influenza and RSV are spreading rapidly," and "This winter, together with COVID-19, it will have a tremendous impact on our health services and people."

European health leaders said, "It is difficult to predict what will happen this winter," and urged strict adherence to basic quarantine guidelines. In a situation where respiratory diseases are spreading simultaneously, it is essential to follow fundamental COVID-19 prevention measures such as mask-wearing, vaccination, handwashing, and social distancing.

Masks have proven highly effective in preventing infections and were mandated during the pandemic. Although many countries removed mask mandates as COVID-19 cases declined, the resurgence of respiratory illnesses in winter has led to an increasing number of countries emphasizing mask use again.

A child undergoing a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection test at a hospital in Germany on the 1st (local time). Photo by Reuters

Domestically, some local governments such as Daejeon and Chungnam have raised the issue of lifting the indoor mask mandate, accelerating related discussions. The government has announced it will decide on lifting the indoor mask mandate by the end of this month, and health authorities are looking at adjusting the mask mandate as early as January next year or by March at the latest.

However, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) plans to carefully decide on lifting the mask mandate after gathering expert opinions and reviewing advisory committees. They believe that the quarantine measures should not be loosened prematurely amid the simultaneous spread of respiratory diseases.

Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the KDCA, emphasized, "The infection prevention effect of mask-wearing is undeniably clear," adding, "Many studies conducted before and after the COVID-19 pandemic scientifically prove the effectiveness and necessity of wearing masks."

Accordingly, even if the indoor mask mandate is mostly converted to a recommendation, mandatory mask-wearing may be maintained in essential facilities to protect high-risk groups.