The nation has started the next stage of easing Covid measures, paving the way for larger gatherings at outdoor concerts and sports events, as it prepares to end quarantine for some travelers who were fully vaccinated abroad.
The relaxation of restrictions began on Monday, following an announcement by health officials last Friday outlining the next part of the country’s roadmap out of lockdown. The change will allow the limit on crowds to be raised from 100 to 4,000 in entertainment venues for the first time since the measures were put in place.
The easing of limitations comes after the government announced separately that South Korea had removed the quarantine requirement for some individuals who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 abroad. From July 1, inoculated citizens, foreign residents, individuals visiting family members, business travelers, and academics will not be required to quarantine, provided they have received all the required doses of a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It is reported that Seoul is looking at launching “travel bubbles” with certain nations, expected to include Singapore and New Zealand, to allow the resumption of air travel without the mutual requirement to quarantine at either destination.
South Korea has been administering the Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines domestically, all of which have been approved for emergency use by the WHO. So far, 23% of the country’s population has received at least one dose.
Since the start of the pandemic, the nation has reported 148,000 confirmed cases and 1,988 deaths as a result of the virus, according to data provided to the WHO.
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