[Week 2, December] Latest COVID-19 Trends with Chris & Partners

✅ Latest COVID-19 Trends with Chris & Partners

(As of Dec 7, 2021)

Source: Freepik

Hello, this is Chris & Partners. As confirmed cases gradually declined, ‘living with COVID’—a phased recovery of daily life—was implemented last November, but with the fearsome spread of the recently found ‘Omicron’ variant, the government has again strengthened quarantine measures. 😷 Let's explore what changes will come to our daily lives and to countries abroad.

Domestic

From Mon, Dec 6, 2021 to Sun, Jan 2, 2022, a four-week additional special quarantine measure takes effect, bringing changes large and small. First, private-gathering sizes were adjusted again. Private gatherings of 6+ in the metro area and 8+ outside it are banned. Also, the vaccine pass expanded, so at 16 facilities—restaurants, cafés, academies, cinemas, study cafés, museums, and more—only the fully vaccinated may enter. (Exceptions exist: PCR-negative within 48 hours, under 18, etc.) The unvaccinated may use them only as a single solo person, and this also applies to private gatherings—only one unvaccinated person is allowed as an exception. Also, due to the Omicron variant, everyone entering the country must quarantine for 10 days. This applies to all arrivals (nationals and foreigners) from all countries regardless of vaccination. As a result, travel to countries that formed travel bubbles with Korea—Singapore, Saipan—was also briefly halted. Weddings, first-birthday parties, funerals must be under 100 people if any unvaccinated attend, and can hold up to 500 if composed only of the fully vaccinated. Finally, when confirmed with COVID-19, the principle is home treatment unless the patient is critically ill and unable to be treated at home.

Overseas

With the Omicron variant landing in the US too, the US's daily average new cases again exceed 100,000. On the 5th local time, foreign outlets like CNN reported the US's 7-day daily average of new COVID-19 cases hit 121,437—the first time crossing 100,000 in two months. There's also concern it's entering community transmission, with Omicron cases in at least 12 states. Japan, to prevent the inflow of the Omicron variant, since the 30th of last month banned new entry of all foreigners and strengthened its borders against travelers from South Africa and other African regions. Also, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare notified local governments to check all COVID-19 confirmed cases for Omicron infection. Japan's Omicron cases so far number three. Meanwhile, across Europe, protests against governments' plans to re-strengthen eased quarantine continue. In Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, and other countries, people hold placards like ‘My body, my choice’ and ‘Fear makes you sick,’ opposing governments' quarantine-strengthening measures. Germany currently restricts the unvaccinated from using facilities like restaurants and cafés, and Austria introduced Europe's first high-intensity quarantine measure restricting non-essential movement. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as of the 4th, 167 Omicron-variant infections were confirmed in 17 of Europe's 30 countries. Don't let your guard down to the end—for your precious self and those around you, put effort into personal hygiene and quarantine so everyone can spend a warm, happy year-end. ☃