In South Korea, COVID-19 cases are rising this week. Health officials say that’s to be expected as the country continues to loosen restrictions, but the extent of this spike has taken some by surprise.
This week, South Korea has moved to a new phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
Government officials are shifting to a policy of living with the virus — what the Health Minister calls “the return path to everyday life.”
It’s a phased transition — curfews have been lifted on restaurants and cafes, the government is no longer encouraging people to work from home and it’s okay to gather in groups of 10 — even if they’re not vaccinated.
Indoor masks are still mandatory in public spaces, and customers at bars and nightclubs need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.
Some complain certain rules appear contradictory.
For example, fully vaccinated baseball fans are allowed to attend playoff games — even cleared to eat chicken and drink beer at outdoor ballparks.
But the more than 10,000 fans watching the Kiwoom Heroes battle it out with the Doosan Bears on Monday were admonished for cheering and chanting — while wearing masks.
New cases have been climbing sharply this week — from fewer than 1,600 on Tuesday to more than 2,600 on Wednesday.
Yonhap News quotes a Health Ministry spokesman as saying the medical system is designed to handle up to 5,000 new cases a day — but if cases rise to 10,000 a day the government will put more restrictions back in place.
