위중증·사망자 전주보다 증가…위중증 80%는 60세 이상 고령층...오늘부터 얀센접종자 '부스터샷' 본격 시작
Good evening.
We begin this Monday with the growing number of critically ill patients and deaths from Covid-19 in South Korea.
Now more than ever, health authorities are emphasizing that people get vaccinated and follow virus prevention measures to keep deaths down while bringing life back to streets and businesses.
As part of the nation's gradual shift to living with Covid, restrictions on high-risk venues like bars and clubs are lifted but will start being fined today if they violate the "vaccine pass" system.
Shin Ye-eun leads our coverage tonight.
South Korea has been seeing an increase in deaths and patients in critical condition from COVID-19.
It mostly traced them back to the elderly and unvaccinated.
"We're seeing a higher risk of deaths from the elderly and those who haven't been vaccinated."
More than 71 percent of those who have died in the past five weeks from COVID-19 were not fully vaccinated.
And more than 89 percent of deaths were from those aged over 60.
This number is growing week by week.
Just last week, the daily average of those in critical condition jumped by 8-point-8 percent compared to the week before.
The number of deaths also jumped by 32-point-5 percent in a week.
To keep the death rate down while the country gradually transitions to normal, the health authorities have asked everyone to abide by all virus prevention measures.
"If virus prevention measures aren't strictly kept, we might experience a resurgence in cases like some other countries that have attempted COVID-19 exit strategies. In order for us to safely transition to normal life, everyone needs to participate. Starting in their daily lives.
Meanwhile, the country on Monday started giving out booster shots to those who had a single Janssen dose to reduce the number of breakthrough cases.
Some 1-point 4-8 million are eligible... and can choose between getting an extra jab from Pfizer or Moderna.
Recipients over the age of 30 can also receive another Janssen dose.
Also on Monday, authorities ended the one week grace period imposed on bars, nightclubs, and singing rooms to smoothly implement a vaccine pass system.
Under this system, only people who've been fully vaccinated or show a negative PCR test result can visit.
From now on, visitors and business owners that fail to abide by the system will have to pay a fine.
South Korea is currently under the first phase of its "gradual return to normal" scheme... where social gathering caps in the greater Seoul area have been extended to up to 10 people, and in other regions... up to 12.
The country has also fully vaccinated more than 76 percent of its population.
Shin Ye-eun, Arirang News.
#COVID19 #death #patients
2021-11-08, 19:00 (KST)
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