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| People wait in line to receive COVID-19 tests, Sunday, at a makeshift testing center in front of Seoul Station. Yonhap |
By Bahk Eun-ji
Concerns are growing over the possibility of a fourth wave of the pandemic as the country's daily new coronavirus cases exceeded 500 for the fifth consecutive day, Sunday.
Health authorities called on the public to cooperate on quarantine measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as sporadic infection clusters have been continuing to appear across the country, showing little sign of abating.
"We are standing at a crossroads between achieving herd immunity through vaccination and whether to face the fourth wave of infections as group infections are soaring in various facilities where many people come into close contact such as retail stores, restaurants, schools and daycare centers," Health Minister Kwon Deok-chul said in a press briefing, Sunday, warning that the number of daily cases could surpass 1,000.
"In the current situation where the national vaccination program has begun for the general public, if a fourth wave takes place, it will wear greatly on the medical system due to the limited number of medical staff."
Kwon said health authorities will conduct on-site inspections to ensure certain businesses and workplaces to comply with the toughened guidelines.
"If they fail to meet the requirements, they will be fined up to 3 million won ($2,650) or suspended," the minister added.
Starting from Monday, the mandatory quarantine rules will be in full swing after a one-week grace period. Bars, clubs and other entertainment facilities across the country are required to use mandatory entry logs for all visitors as part of the government's efforts to combat infection.
The country added 543 more COVID-19 cases, including 514 local infections, for Saturday, raising the cumulative number of cases to 105,279, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Four more deaths from COVID-19 were reported, increasing the total to 1,744. The daily new cases have stayed above 500 since Wednesday.
Experts on infectious diseases, who had expressed such concerns early on, predicted that the current increase in infections will continue until the second half of the year.
"The fourth wave may have already begun," Chung Jae-hoon, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon University, wrote on Facebook, Saturday.
"We have been warning about a fourth wave since February this year. This is more an inevitability than a pessimistic prediction."
Chung stated, "The problem is that quarantine measures such as social distancing rules have been generally eased, and public awareness of the current virus situation is also eased."
In particular, he stressed that there is no reason for the number of daily new cases to decrease for the time being, citing issues such as elimination of restrictions on business hours of restaurants and other public facilities as well as gatherings of five or more people in non-metropolitan areas.
"It is predicted that in order for the vaccine to be even a little helpful in stopping the virus spreading, a vaccine inoculation rate of at least 20 percent is required. In Korea, it should be around June this year at the latest to achieve the goal," Chung added.
Chon Eun-mi, a professor of respiratory medicine at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, also said punishment for violations of gathering bans at multi-use facilities should be strengthened to prevent mass infections.
"There is the greatest risk of infection when people eat together at restaurants, but violators are subject to a small fine of up to 600,000 won ($531), and that's why the administrative measures are ineffective," Chon said.
"Stronger measures are needed to limit the operations of businesses violating the rules for one to two months and close those businesses if they violate the rules a second time."
