South Korea to loosen COVID-19 restrictions for vaccinated people

ANKARA (AA) - South Korea on Wednesday announced that people who have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be required to wear masks outdoors from July, local media reported.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, they will also be exempted from capacity limits at religious facilities.

Religious facilities in the greater Seoul area are currently restricted from accepting more than 20% of their full seating capacity, while those in other regions maintain a 30% ceiling.

To combat the coronavirus outbreak, people were mandated to wear face masks on mass transportation and in public places last October.

From June, those who have received a first dose will also be exempt from the gathering ban of eight among direct family members and have access to community and welfare centers for seniors with fewer restrictions.

The announcement is part of the government's incentive program, an effort to encourage more people to get COVID-19 jabs.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said his government plans to fully revise its antivirus measures in late September, when more than 70% of the population is projected to have received their first jabs.

"We will also review loosening indoor mask rules when reaching herd immunity," Kim was quoted as saying.

South Korea launched its two-dose vaccination regimen campaign in February, and plans to achieve herd immunity by November. As many as 1.9 million people, or 3.8% of the country's 52 million population, have been inoculated.

With 707 new COVID-19 cases and two related deaths in the past 24 hours, the total caseload has risen to 137,682 including 1,940 fatalities, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

The country has also recorded four “breakthrough” infections – a person testing positive for COVID-19 between first and second doses of a two-dose regimen or after full vaccination.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid