Countries trying to restart normal economic activities ‘With Corona’

The switch to ‘With Corona’ is driven by the emergence of the delta mutation

Public actors are calling for a return to normal economic activities

[해외특파원 1기 / 박주영 기자] With growing global acceptance of the reality of co-existing with the coronavirus, the so-called “With Corona” discussion is in full swing. The movement encompasses two main elements: first, it calls for a transition to a medical system centered on critically-ill patients and the dead, and second, it advocates for a return to normal pre-COVID operations with an emphasis on social distancing.  

“With Corona” was pushed into the public spotlight after the emergence of the delta mutation, before which 70% of the global population was expected to be COVID-free with the achievement of herd immunity through vaccinations. Indeed, the spread of delta mutations has called for changes to countries’ policies, not sparing those at the forefront of immunization like Israel who found themselves incapable of preventing delta infections. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that vaccinated individuals are less susceptible to severe symptoms if infected, leading to a fatality rate lower than the flu and bolstering the call to return to normal life. 

In particular, small business owners and self-employed individuals have endured significant economic losses amidst the pandemic. This has led to an unprecedented nationwide vehicle demonstration by self-employed workers in Korea demanding the “abolition of quarantine rules” in response to year-long high-intensity distancing guidelines. Nevertheless, the corona crisis is not merely a problem for the self-employed, but rather preys on all the vulnerable in society.  

In addition, last month, a team led by Professor Baek Jong-woo of the Department of Psychiatry at Kyunghee University Hospital announced the results of their study “Evaluation of the Mental Health and Social Psychological Impact of the Corona-19 Public Health Crisis,” which indicated that depression and anxiety deteriorated drastically with the onset of COVID-19 and low-income earners being the worst affected class.  

However, experts point out that it is not wise to switch to the policies called upon by “With Corona” in a hurry when there is yet the development of a specific treatment to reduce the severity and fatality of the coronavirus.