GOV’T TO EXPAND HOME TREATMENTS

[Anchor Lead]

The goal to vaccinate 70 percent of the population to achieve herd immunity is soon to become a reality. Experts say at least 85 percent of the public must be fully immunized to beat the highly contagious Delta variant and take off masks. The government is trying to encourage the public to get vaccinated while expanding home treatment for Covid-19 patients.

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The Delta variant's reproduction rate is 5, implying each infected person can infect five others. Health authorities say at least 85 percent of the population must be fully immunized to beat this Delta variant.

[Soundbite] Kwon Jun-wook(Central Disease Control HQs) : "When the vaccination rate reaches 85 percent, about 80 percent of the population will have herd immunity. We'll be able to beat the Delta variant and do without masks, gathering bans and business restrictions."

However, authorities made it clear that it's just numbers and it does not apply to safety precautions such as mask mandates. Korea's vaccination rate currently stands at 62.5 percent. If the pace of vaccinations remains the same, 70 percent of the population will be fully vaccinated in about ten days. More than 78 percent of the public have received their first shots. Vaccinations for children are to begin soon. However, the government also stressed, it's hard to predict how much of the population will be fully inoculated.

[Soundbite] Hong Jung-ik(Covid-19 Vaccination Task Force) : "It's not the right time to predict if the vaccination rate will reach 80 or 90 percent."

Health authorities have decided to expand short-term treatment centers, which are currently available in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province. It's to be expanded further to other regions in order to amp up home treatment for the infected. Covid-19 patients that are examining symptoms at home will be able to receive intensive two-day treatments at these short-term treatment centers when they develop more severe symptoms.