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Jeong Eun-kyeong, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, attends a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts on Tuesday. (Yonhap News)

The head of South Korea’s disease control agency said that South Korea would begin a gradual return to normal in late October on Tuesday, noting that masks would still be required indoors until the final stage of easing social distancing.

Jeong Eun-kyeong, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), was asked if Korea would allow a return to regular routines at the end of October during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budgets and Accounts on Tuesday.

“Right now, we’re assuming that’s an option we can consider,” Jeong said.

She said that the government will be able to begin gradually reestablishing ordinary routines at the end of October, when 70 percent of the total populace is expected to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Once that target is hit, it should be possible to control the outbreak and reduce serious cases while easing some restrictions.

On Monday, the Korean government extended the current level of social distancing for four more weeks while also relaxing some restrictions, such as by allowing more people partake in private gatherings. Some saw this as the first step toward returning to normal routines despite the continued presence of COVID-19.

But the South Korean government has indicated it isn’t keen on the phrase “living with COVID-19,” given concerns that such language could cause the public to grow complacent about COVID-19 countermeasures.

“The language the government is using in its discussions is a ‘gradual plan to return to everyday routines,’” said Son Young-rae, director of strategy and planning at the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, during the daily briefing on Monday.

But Jeong only mentioned previously considered measures.

“This would be centered on easing social distancing and moving closer to ordinary routines. Social distancing needs to be eased in stages according to the level of risk. Easing social distancing could mean allowing outdoor activities [and letting people remove masks outdoors]. We need to maintain rules about wearing masks inside until the very last stage,” the KDCA commissioner said.

“Officials are currently discussing how to go about relaxing restrictions gradually according to the level of risk. We’re preparing to release a roadmap after soliciting the opinions of experts, agencies and local governments.”

When Jeong was asked to explain the reasons for adopting a gradual plan to return to normal, she said that herd immunity can’t be achieved even if 70 percent of the Korean populace is vaccinated.

“When we proposed the goal of a 70 percent vaccination rate back in January, we didn’t know anything about the coronavirus variants. The Delta variant is highly infectious, spreads rapidly, and makes [vaccines] less effective at blocking infection. At least for now, therefore, we don’t think it’s possible to reach the level of herd immunity that would eradicate [COVID-19] the way we eradicated infectious diseases such as measles and smallpox.”

“That said, a high level of immunity would reduce severe cases and would also block infection to some extent, which we think will let us move a little closer to normal routines,” Jeong added.

On Tuesday, the Central Disaster Management Headquarters released the results of a national attitude survey of 1,000 women and men aged 18 and older that was carried out from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. Findings showed that 73 percent of respondents said they support shifting to treating COVID-19 as part of everyday life.

When respondents were asked about the appropriate time-table for making that shift, the largest segment (52.4 percent) chose the end of November, when at least 70 percent of the Korean populace will have received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

Another 30.3 percent of respondents chose the end of September, when at least 70 percent of the public will have received their first dose. Another 14.3 percent thought the shift should happen immediately. Taken together, 44.6 percent of people surveyed think the Korean government should start treating COVID-19 as a more routine matter during the month of September.

By Kim Ji-hoon, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]