The cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Korea has surpassed 1 million. Experts pointed out that medical system, which can expand beds and quarantine network, should be established while government has relied only on ‘social distancing’ for the past two years. The Government, however, was passive in expanding medical personnel. Instead, country only came up with preventive measures, which shuffle responsibility on to people, such as social distancing and Vaccine Pass. Is K-quarantine okay like this way?
Doubts about Vaccine Pass was spreading over not only violation of fundamental rights but also fairness. Vaccine Pass is temporary measure, which restrict unvaccinated people’s use of multi-purpose facilities, made for the purpose of preventing overload of medical system. However, subways, religious, facilities, water parks, and kids cafes, which are more feared to be infected, were excluded. What is even more ridiculous is that although both of them are unvaccinated person, it is not apply to sales staff, but only apply to customers. Korean government is turning a car even if countries, have experienced Omicron, are examining abolition of Vaccine Pass.
Israel persisted in high-intensity preventive measures, starting booster shots(third inoculation) in the world first. Since then, Israel introduced Green Pass for the first time to restrict unvaccinated people’s access in public spaces. Experts pointed out it is meaningless to make vaccination status as reference point of permission to access in public spaces when the number of confirmed cases rose sharply due to spread of Omicron’s mutations. Israel government, accordingly, has decided to drastically reduce target of Green Pass. Green Pass decided to maintain only for high-risk events that are feared to cause mass infection although those who have not been vaccinated, allowed to enter indoor public facilities too. The spread of infection, as a result, has eased somewhat now unlike when the number of confirmed cases rise to 85,000 due to Omicron’s mutation.
France and Italy, on the other hand, are further strengthening Vaccine Pass system from ‘Health Pass’ to ‘Vaccine Pass.’ and ‘Green Pass’ to ‘Super Green Pass’ However, they greatly eased social distancing. France and Italy decided that should no longer required obligation of wearing masks in public spaces and outdoors. Franc and Italy has eased preventive measures forward in the directions minimize online classes in school, and is issuing Vaccine Pass without expiration date for those who have been vaccinated three times. Strong regulations are being applied to unvaccinated people, such as who do not have Vaccine Pass are not allowed to enter multi-use facilities and fines are imposed for going to work. France and Italy maintain quarantine system, saying that Vaccine Pass help increase vaccination rates, but they still tank at the top of the world in the cumulative mortality list.
It is clear the implementation of Vaccine Pass contributed to improvement of vaccination rate. However, the implementation of Vaccine Pass sparked public distrust and rejection about vaccine policy. The proportion of pre-vaccinated people, who responded that were forced to vaccinate or angry at the reality of being vaccinated unavoidably, increased by more than 20 percentage points than before Vaccine Pass was implemented, according to a French case study in Nature Medicine in January 2022. This can be interpreted as not only that Vaccine Pass did not reduce hesitation of vaccination, but rather weakened overall intention of vaccination by public. The low inoculation rate of young people and repulsion of quaternary(or annual inoculation) suggests that the government’s top-down policy practices and inconsistent communication methods have reached limits. This is likely to hinder the stable operation of vaccination system in the future.
Vaccine Pass should be abolished entirely. The cause which is execution of quarantine policies, led to the results of oppression political freedom of vulnerable in society. For those who do not have the means to convey their voices other than rallies and demonstrations, this is not just an infringement of rights, but a threat to survival itself. Daily life such as excessively suppressed cultural activities, religious activities, and social activities of young people should also be urgently restored. More active discussions are urgently needed on how and how much individual basic rights can be restricted in the new reality of the ‘With Corona’ phase. The government thinks expansion of Vaccine Pass is the most efficient quarantine, but it is useless if majority of Koreans do not participate. What is important is the quarantine system which people can join in.
