[종합] Bu-gyeom Kim, the dominant species of Omicron mutation, please refrain from visiting your hometown during the Lunar New Year holidays

Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, when the omicron mutant virus became the dominant species in Korea, the government came forward and requested that people refrain from visiting their hometown. If you have to visit your hometown, you are asked to get a third vaccination. This is because it is judged that the Lunar New Year holiday will be a ‘major turning point’ in the prevention of quarantine in an emergency situation in which the number of confirmed cases reached 7,000 for three days in a row and more than 50% of Omicron mutations were detected.

Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom, in a message to the public on special quarantine during the Lunar New Year holiday announced at the government complex in Seoul on the afternoon of the 24th, “We can win the fight against Omicron only by spending this Lunar New Year safely and preventing the rapid increase of Omicron.” “I’m really sorry, but I earnestly request that you refrain from visiting your hometown for the safety and health of everyone during this Lunar New Year.”

“If many people actively move between regions and meet each other during this Lunar New Year holiday, it is no different than pouring oil on a burning fire,” he said.

Prime Minister Kim said, “We vividly remember how the number of confirmed cases surged by 38% right after the Chuseok holiday last year, even under the delta mutation environment, where the rate of infection was not very high. Although it is somewhat low, the propagation power is two to three times higher,” he emphasized.

He also urged, “If you must visit your hometown, please complete the 3rd vaccination before the Lunar New Year holiday begins.” Along with this, he urged them to follow the basic quarantine rules, use a mask of KF-80 or higher, and if there are any doubts, go to a rest area on the highway on the way to Goseong. He ordered to receive a diagnostic test at a temporary screening test center set up in nine locations.

President Moon Jae-in also instructed his staff on the same day, “Quickly switch to the Omicron response system that the government has prepared preemptively and respond in unison.” We ask that you join us in responding to Omicron.”

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the detection rate of Omicron mutation in Korea recorded 50.3% last week (January 17-23). On the 24th, there were 7,513 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, nearly doubling from the same day of the week last week (3857).