- Pixabay/mattthewafflecat
VIVA – President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday officially lifts all COVID-19 restrictions, such as quarantine requirements, and end testing recommendations for international arrivals starting June after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the global health emergency.
In lowering the coronavirus alert level from “critical” to plainly “alert” starting June 1, health authorities will also lift mask mandates in pharmacies and small clinics but will continue to require mask-wearing in large hospitals and long-term care facilities, and other medical venues with high infection risks.
South Korea has been requiring seven-day quarantines for virus carriers. While the mandate will be lifted from June 1, health officials will continue to recommend people to isolate for five days if they test positive for the virus, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.
Presiden Korea Selatan Yoon Suk Yeol
- Im Hun-jung/Yonhap via AP
Travelers had been advised to take PCR test within three days after arriving in the country, but that recommendation will also be lifted.
"I am happy that our people have regained their daily lives after three years and four months of restrictions," the President said at a meeting of the Central Disaster Management and Safety Office at the country's presidential office.
"This was possible because of the dedication and efforts of many people," he added, thanking frontline medical staff, health industry workers, and government officials.
He also said: "More than that, I am very grateful to our people for their active cooperation in complying with antivirus rules."
President said the South Korean government will continue to channel financial assistance for COVID-19 testing and treatment and fully prepare against future pandemics by establishing a science-based emergency response system.
He will also enhance South Korea's vaccine production capabilities while strengthening cooperation with the international community and drafting a detailed post-COVID-19 policy in which changes in society due to the pandemic are used as an engine for future growth.
