▲ This undated file photo shows outbound passengers at a local airport in South Korea amid sharply eased COVID-19 restrictions. (Yonhap)

COVID-19-endemic disease

Gov't to fully lift remaining COVID-19 mask mandate next month

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- The government will adjust the COVID-19 pandemic's infection classification level to the lowest Class 4 next month from Class 2 and fully lift the remaining mask mandate across the country, government officials said Sunday.

The government is expected to classify COVID-19 as an endemic disease, like influenza and hand, foot and mouth disease, next month, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

Currently, COVID-19 belongs to the Class 2 infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, measles, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A, and leprosy.

In early June, the government removed nearly all pandemic-related restrictions, and the mandatory isolation period was also reduced to five days as a recommendation, from the previous seven-day requirement.

Still, the mask requirement has remained at general hospitals or other high-risk places, like nursing hospitals.

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