Daily Busan
The COVID emergency is over
Korea has officially declared the end of the national COVID-19 crisis.
With the Central Disaster Safety and Countermeasure Headquarters’ downgrade of the coronavirus risk level from “serious” to “alert,” Korea joins other nations worldwide in moving past the crisis phase of the pandemic.
The government’s announcement comes about a month after the World Health Organization determined COVID-19 no longer constituted a “public health emergency of international concern.”
After three years and four months, Busan begins its post-pandemic life.
The downgraded risk level eliminates most of the restrictions implemented during the pandemic. The isolation period for people who test positive for the coronavirus is reduced from a mandatory seven days to a recommended five days.
All indoor mask mandates are lifted except for hospitals with vulnerable inpatients and residential medical facilities with groups vulnerable to infectious diseases.
Likewise, the recommendation for PCR tests within three days after entry into the country is also removed.
However, some measures remain for the health and safety of citizens.
One-stop medical facilities for diagnosing and treating COVID-19 patients are available citywide. In addition, at-home medical consultations for patients will continue.