Amid growing concerns over the spread of a new COVID-19 variant, Korean health authorities said the current situation remains stable but urged high-risk groups to get vaccinated, projecting a slight increase in COVID-19 cases.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said at a regular briefing Tuesday that it is closely monitoring the overall situation, including the COVID-19 "BA.3.2" variant.
According to the KDCA, the BA.3.2 variant is not newly emerged. It first appeared in South Africa in November 2024, then disappeared due to the emergence of other variants at the time, and has recently been reported to be increasing again. Because its pattern of reemerging after a long dormancy resembles the life cycle of cicadas, it has been nicknamed "Cicada."
The KDCA explained that the BA.3.2 variant, along with other COVID-19 variants that have emerged in recent years, are all subvariants that can be considered "descendants" of Omicron, and therefore cannot be regarded as entirely new mutations.
As the new variant showed signs of spreading, some unverified claims circulated, including that "it is impossible to tell who is infected" and that "currently used vaccines are useless." The KDCA dismissed these claims as groundless.
"For it to be impossible to tell who is infected, COVID-19 diagnosis itself would have to be impossible, but the BA.3.2 variant can be detected with test kits available on the market," a KDCA official said. "The World Health Organization (WHO) also assesses that the vaccines currently in use remain effective."
However, since the variant has enhanced immune-evasion capabilities, COVID-19 cases may increase somewhat, and authorities are closely watching the domestic situation. Looking at the current situation, cases are expected to rise slightly over the next four weeks, making vaccination necessary for high-risk groups, the KDCA said.
Currently, high-risk groups for COVID-19, including seniors aged 65 and older and the immunocompromised, can receive the COVID-19 vaccine free of charge. The program runs through June 30.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 vaccination rate is on a declining trend. From October last year to April this year, the COVID-19 vaccination rate fell slightly compared to the same period the previous year. According to the KDCA, the vaccination rate during the same period last year was 47.4%, but this time it came in at just 42.7%. In particular, the vaccination rate among those aged 65 to 69, who face a high risk of progressing to severe illness if infected, was the lowest at 31.6%.
Fears of a "Second COVID" persist, but only 3 out of 10 Koreans say they will "definitely get vaccinated."
