SEOUL — South Korea is likely to lift its indoor mandate in two stages, starting with schools and public offices in mid-January, according to multiple health authorities on Sunday. Under the plan, however, the mandatory indoor mask rule will continue to be applied at highly dense spaces such as public transportation and medical institutions including sanatoriums until the government fully lifts the mandate.
The government, however, is still in discussion about exactly when to implement the stage one plan, and whether to include other public spaces frequently visited by the elderly, such as supermarkets along with schools and public offices.It is expected that the first stage of the indoor mask release could be as early as Jan. 21, when the Lunar New Year holiday begins.
“Expert discussion will be held before we finalize the mask release, but it is desirable to adjust them before the Lunar New Year holiday as much as possible,” a government official said. The kickoff of the stage one plan, however, could be delayed as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is on the rise.
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