Starting next Wednesday, people fully vaccinated in South Korea will be exempt from the mandatory two-week self-quarantine, even after coming into contact with an infected patient or when arriving from overseas. 

The government reached the decision after assessing that people who have received both vaccine doses will come to have antibodies two weeks after getting the second shot.  

People who’ve been fully vaccinated in South Korea will face monitoring, instead of isolation, for two weeks. Monitoring refers to a daily report of their health status made to authorities. 

The latest exemption will not apply to those arriving from countries where virus variants are prevalent such as South Africa and Brazil.  

As for those who were vaccinated overseas, the government is considering their exemption from the two-week self-quarantine based on the principle of reciprocity or accords, adding that they will be subject to mandatory quarantine for now.