[Editorial] No sign of abating

With the spread of COVID-19 hitting a series of record highs, the Korean government is mulling virus-related policy changes that some fear would aggravate the worsening situation as confusion over self-test kits and social distancing rules deepens.

The government said Tuesday it would unveil a new set of changes regarding the social distancing rules following the spike in new COVID-19 cases led by the omicron variant.

On Monday, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said, “(The government) will consider adopting measures that would offer reprieve to small businesses hit by COVID-19 while making sure that they would not fuel the spread of the omicron strain further.”

A high-ranking health official also noted that the government was collecting opinions about how much socioeconomic damage the country could swallow, seeing that omicron has become the dominant variant.

Considering the latest tone of official statements by government officials, health authorities are likely to loosen the social distancing restrictions while keeping the vaccine pass system for a while.

But it seems too early to lift COVID protocols, especially at a time when the spread of COVID-19 has yet to hit a peak in Korea and experts caution another premature step could complicate the fight against the highly transmissible variant.

Virus-related data suggest that things remain tough and precarious. The daily COVID-19 infections on Tuesday hit another high of over 57,000 cases, exceeding 50,000 for the sixth day in a row.

Although the bed occupancy rate for critically ill patients remains relatively stable at 26.8 percent Tuesday, the death toll tripled to 61, compared with a day earlier.

Omicron patients tend to show mild symptoms. But once the variant keeps spreading at the current pace across the nation, there is no guarantee that the number of critically ill patients will continue to be manageable. Health authorities earlier warned that daily new cases could reach 170,000 by around the end of this month.

What’s important is that the government should stay focused on protecting people against virus infections. Unfortunately, it seems to lack clear and consistent policy strategy, which in turn adds to the confusion among the public and medical professionals.

Health authorities earlier hinted at treating COVID-19 similarly to other endemic illnesses such as the seasonal flu, only to reverse their position later. The timing for softening social distancing measures have also caused disputes, as policymakers’ remarks conflicted with one another.

Experts warn that if the rules are loosened now, omicron would spread faster and the peak of new cases would be much higher.

If the number of new cases soars at an explosive rate in a short period of time, the country could see a sharp increase in critically ill patients and the death toll -- a potentially massive loss that could offset any economic advantage of loosening up.

The short supply of rapid antigen test kits is also sparking issues. Reminiscent of the severe mask shortage in early 2020, people are rushing to buy test kits but the supply is far from enough to meet the surging demand.

As the price of test kits surged online, the government belatedly stepped in, banning online sales, limiting the number of test kits one can buy and setting the price at 6,000 won per unit.

Given the gravity of the situation, the government should make extra efforts to stabilize the supply of test kits, work closely with local clinics to help at-home treatments and reconsider the timing of softening social distancing measures.

By Korea Herald (khnews@heraldcorp.com)