As this year will be the first Lunar New Year without physical distancing for Covid-19 since the outbreak of the epidemic, Zhou Qiuhong, Minister of Health and Welfare, clarified the special quarantine and medical measures.
“We will maintain a holiday without distancing like last year’s Chuseok,” Minister Chu said at a briefing held on Friday. With the abolition of social distancing last year, face-to-face meetings with residents of nursing facilities will be allowed this year, as well as use of cinemas and concert halls and dining in. Rest stops on the highway.
However, he assured that the government will operate a tight quarantine regime as there are still variables such as the outbreak of Covid-19 in China.
In this regard, quarantine measures for arrivals from China, Hong Kong and Macau will remain in place even during the holidays, while a medical task force is in operation that can visit to administer medical treatment to protect vulnerable groups in infection-prone facilities. And he went on to say.
New Covid-19 cases in Korea fell to Friday’s lowest tally in 11 weeks, with 39,726 additional Covid-19 infections, including 137 from overseas, bringing the total number of cases to 29,737,769. There were also 51 Covid deaths -19, bringing the number of deaths to 32,867 while patients in critical condition increased by one to 511, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Of the 137 injuries reported on Friday, 61.3 percent came from China.
Examination clinics in public health centers and temporary examination examination centers operate normally during the holiday season. In particular, from the 21st to the 24th, anyone can take a Covid-19 PCR test at six expressway rest stops, including Anseong, Icheon, Hwaseong, Baekyangsa, Hampyeongcheonji, and Jinyeong.
Minister Zhou also urged seniors over 60 to get vaccinated before the Lunar New Year holiday and check their health before visiting their hometowns.
Meanwhile, the results of a survey conducted on the antibody positivity rate for Covid-19 among 7,528 individuals spread across 17 cities in Korea from December 7 to 22 last year were released on Friday. The results showed that the total positive percentage of antibodies, including natural infection and immunization, was 98.6%.
However, the report highlighted that a high rate of antibody positivity in general does not mean that everyone’s defense against the virus is high, as local and international studies have shown that antibodies decrease over time.
It also confirmed that the antibody titer produced after vaccination and infection decreases within three months, and the lower the level of antibody titer in infection risk analysis, the greater the risk of infection.
Again, booster doses are recommended for those over 60 at high risk to prevent severe disease.