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| Citizens wait for any possible side effects after receiving the coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center in Dobong District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap |
Vaccinated people can go outdoors without wearing masks from July
By Lee Hyo-jin
The government announced a set of incentives Wednesday that will be offered to people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. These come as part of efforts to boost public participation in its inoculation program.
However, medical experts are questioning the effectiveness of such measures, saying that eased social distancing regulations included in them may lead to a resurgence of the coronavirus.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said that its current social distancing measures, including mandatory mask wearing in public and the ban on five or more people gathering together, will be gradually eased for vaccinated people.
Starting from June, those who have received at least one dose of the vaccine will be exempt from the gathering ban with direct family members, which currently is allowed for up to eight people.
From July, they will be able to go outdoors without wearing a mask, and the gathering ban on five or more people will be lifted for fully vaccinated people. Also, religious facilities will be allowed to hold activities attended by people who have received at least one shot of the vaccine.
In October, when more than 70 percent of the population is expected to have received at least one dose of the vaccine, the social distancing measures will be fully revised, significantly easing regulations such as having to wear face masks indoors.
The ministry added that vaccinated people will get discounts on tickets to several state-run cultural facilities including museums, parks and theaters.
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| Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol speaks during a briefing at Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday, on incentives that will be offered to people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Yonhap |
Although incentivizing vaccination may be effective in encouraging citizens to get shots, some medical experts expressed concern that lifting quarantine restrictions on people who aren’t fully immunized may lead to virus spread amid growing concerns on new variants.
“According to data from the U.K. medical authorities, one dose of the Pfizer or the AstraZeneca vaccine showed a mere 34 percent efficacy against the new strain originated from India,” said Chon Eun-mi, a respiratory disease specialist at Ewha Womans University Medical Center.
Chon said it was too early for the country to ease social distancing rules considering its low vaccination rate.
As of Tuesday, 7.7 percent of the population had been administered with an initial dose of a vaccine, while 3.8 percent had received two shots, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
“Lifting social distancing restrictions should be considered when at least 60 percent of the population have been administered with their first dose, and up to 50 percent have been fully immunized,” she said.
Jung Jae-hun, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon Medical University said, “Most other countries introducing vaccine incentives are offering them to fully vaccinated individuals.”
Another concern is how the authorities will be able to check whether people not wearing masks in the street have been vaccinated once the mandatory rule is lifted for certain people from July.
Currently, the government has introduced a mobile certificate system for vaccinated people, which can also be printed out, to show their inoculation history.
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