Health officials said the Covid disaster level in South Korea will be downgraded to the lowest level possible so that it will completely return to the pre-pandemic stage, nearly four years after the outbreak, Yonhap news agency reported. .
I will reduce the four-category Covid crisis level from the second-highest "alert" to the lowest "concern" from May 1, the Central Disaster and Security Response Headquarters (CDSCH) said.
“The current pandemic situation itself is very stable, with fewer lethal outbreaks and no particularly dangerous variants observed,” CDSCH said.
The decision comes more than four years after the first case of Covid was reported in the country on January 20, 2020.
As a result, the few remaining mandatory indoor mask requirements for hospitals and other facilities will be lifted entirely, and government-level response organizations like CDSCH, which have overseen disaster-control measures since the COVID outbreak, will be disbanded. Will be done.Additionally, much of the government's medical assistance would be cut off.
The government will no longer cover the cost of Covid testing or hospitalization for some seriously ill patients, while patients will have to partially pay for the oral antiviral pill Paxlovid.
While the Covid vaccine will remain freely available to everyone until the 2023-2024 season, afterward it will be restricted to high-risk groups, such as individuals aged 65 and older and those who are immunocompromised.
Health officials stressed the importance of personal responsibility despite the declining crisis level.
Ji Young-mi, head of CDSCH, said, "Although the crisis level has decreased, we must prioritize comfort over unwell for the sake of society's well-being.,
"If you experience symptoms of COVID-19, please seek medical attention immediately and follow personal quarantine practices, including frequent hand washing," Ji said.
I will reduce the four-category Covid crisis level from the second-highest "alert" to the lowest "concern" from May 1, the Central Disaster and Security Response Headquarters (CDSCH) said.
“The current pandemic situation itself is very stable, with fewer lethal outbreaks and no particularly dangerous variants observed,” CDSCH said.
The decision comes more than four years after the first case of Covid was reported in the country on January 20, 2020.
As a result, the few remaining mandatory indoor mask requirements for hospitals and other facilities will be lifted entirely, and government-level response organizations like CDSCH, which have overseen disaster-control measures since the COVID outbreak, will be disbanded. Will be done.Additionally, much of the government's medical assistance would be cut off.
The government will no longer cover the cost of Covid testing or hospitalization for some seriously ill patients, while patients will have to partially pay for the oral antiviral pill Paxlovid.
While the Covid vaccine will remain freely available to everyone until the 2023-2024 season, afterward it will be restricted to high-risk groups, such as individuals aged 65 and older and those who are immunocompromised.
Health officials stressed the importance of personal responsibility despite the declining crisis level.
Ji Young-mi, head of CDSCH, said, "Although the crisis level has decreased, we must prioritize comfort over unwell for the sake of society's well-being.,
"If you experience symptoms of COVID-19, please seek medical attention immediately and follow personal quarantine practices, including frequent hand washing," Ji said.
