Watchful of summer COVID-19 resurgence, Korea urges older adults to get vaccinated
The South Korean government is closely monitoring COVID-19 resurgences in regional neighbors including Hong Kong, China and Thailand, amid growing worries that a summer resurgence may hit the country again this year.
At a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting Friday, Director Lee Han-kyung warned of worsening COVID-19 trends abroad.
"In regions close to us — Hong Kong, China and Thailand — COVID-19 infections are rising, and this is a cause for concern," Lee said at the meeting.
He urged senior citizens aged 65 and above, as well as residents in high-risk facilities, to get vaccinated, stressing that vaccination is key to preventing severe illness and death.
According to government data, recent overseas COVID-19 cases are showing a noticeable uptick.
In Hong Kong, confirmed cases for the week of May 11 to 17 totaled 977, exceeding the country's previous summer peak of 796. China's rate of positivity COVID-19 test results is steadily climbing toward last year's peak of 21.1 percent, while in Thailand, more than 65,000 new cases were reported in the three weeks following the Songkran holiday in April.
Despite the global trend, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Korea remained at around 100 each week over the past month. Currently, South Korea estimates the number of confirmed cases in select hospitals on a weekly basis.
Still, the government is taking a proactive stance in consideration that domestic cases last year surged sharply from late July to mid-August. Weekly confirmed cases jumped from 456 in the fourth week of July to over 1,400 by mid-August in 2023.
To mitigate potential risks, health authorities have extended the vaccination period for high-risk groups until June 30, two months beyond the initial April 30 deadline.
The Korean Medical Association also issued a public advisory, pointing to the seasonal temperature shifts, increased domestic and international travel and a noticeable drop in personal hygiene practices such as hand-washing.
It recommended six precautionary measures: maintaining personal hygiene, wearing masks, prompt response to symptoms, testing for high-risk individuals and recent international travelers, getting vaccinated and improving indoor ventilation.
Recalling difficulties caused by last summer's surge, the association emphasized that preventive habits such as hand-washing and mask-wearing remain crucial.
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