NO STRICT VIRUS CURBS

[Anchor Lead]

The government was expected to devise tougher measures to contain the virus resurgence, specifically targeting unvaccinated people. However, no such measures have been introduced, apparently because they might make people's lives more difficult. With the number of daily cases predicted to surpass five thousand in the coming days, the government says the next four weeks will be critical in managing the situation.

[Pkg]

At a debate held by medical experts ahead of the announcement of new measures to contain the coronavirus, strong measures were discussed such as restricting the number of people at private gatherings, limiting access for the unvaccinated at restaurants and cafes, and introducing vaccine passes for youth. However, the government has decided to postpone them for the time being, considering their impact on people's livelihoods.

[Soundbite] Moon Jae-in(President) : "We cannot go back to the past after starting a difficult transition to normal life."

Health experts say the next four weeks will be critical as hospitals are already severely understaffed. They are urging the public to refrain from private gatherings and other personal contact as much as possible in the next four weeks, as it will take two weeks for the high-risk elderly population to form immunity after receiving booster shots.

[Soundbite] Jeong Eun-kyeong(Director, KDCA) : "The virus has spread throughout local communities and anyone can become exposed to it through daily activities."

With the number of daily Covid-19 cases about to surpass five thousand in Korea, the Omicron variant could largely determine the next step as the nation tries to transition to normalcy. Korea has banned entry to travelers from several African countries, but blocking the virus completely is difficult and it could be detected in the nation at any time. The Delta variant became a dominant strain in Korea just one month after its first detection in the country. The Omicron is likely to spread just as fast. Health authorities are developing a PCR testing method that can detect the new variant quickly. While more research is needed for the Omicron variant, authorities are urging the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible to reduce the risk of serious complications even in case of breakthrough infections.