South Korea will lift an outdoor face mask mandate starting next week, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced on Friday, in the country's latest step to ease COVID-19 restrictions as it learns to live with the Omicron variant.
The move would come two weeks after South Korea scrapped most of its pandemic-related precautions, including a midnight curfew on restaurants and other businesses, on April 18."We concluded we can no longer look away from ... the inconveniences experienced by our people where they have to keep face masks on even when strolling alone or on a picnic with family," Kim said during a COVID-19 response meeting.
The number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has been hovering below 100,000 a day after peaking to more than 620,000 a day in mid-March. South Korea has largely managed to limit deaths and critical cases through widespread vaccination, and it has scaled back the aggressive tracing and containment efforts that made it a mitigation success story from most of the first two years of the pandemic.
Nearly 87% of the country's 52 million population are fully vaccinated, with 65% having also had a booster, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency data.Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Lincoln FeastSubscribe to our sustainability newsletter to make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Breakingviews - South Korea Inc heaps added pressure on SamsungPeer pressure might be a good thing for Samsung Electronics . The $350 billion conglomerate’s 51% rise in quarterly operating profit underscores its dependence on memory chips. Local competitors Hyundai , SK and LG are moving faster to capitalise on new markets. Maybe that’ll be a call to action.
Read more »
The world's first floating city prototype unveiled in South KoreaTo prepare against the danger of the rising sea levels, UN-Habitat, the city of Busan, Korea, and OCEANIX unveiled the first prototype of the floating city.
Read more »
Joe Biden to travel to South Korea, Japan next monthPresident Biden will make his first trip to Asia as president when he travels to South Korea and Japan from May 20-24, the White House announced Wednesday night.
Read more »
Kia Niro gains purpose-built taxi model for Korea | AutocarThe Kia Niro has gained a purpose-built taxi model for Korea. The Niro Plus is based on the first-generation model and features slimmer seats, door reflectors and assist handles
Read more »
Analysis: North Korea signals expansive mission for its nuclear weaponsAs South Korea’s new conservative president prepares to take office, North Korea is outlining an expansive, ambiguous, and potentially destabilising doctrine for using its nuclear weapons, analysts said.
Read more »
Biden will visit South Korea and Japan next month as he works to keep focus on AsiaPresident Joe Biden will make his first trip to Asia as president next month, visiting South Korea and Japan from May 20 to May 24, White House officials told CNN, underscoring his commitment to the region even as international attention is directed toward the crisis in Ukraine.
Read more »