ⓒYONHAP News

The government is expected to review even stronger quarantine measures if the effects of current distancing curbs fail to show by next week.

Currently, the capital region and a few other areas are under the highest Level Four with everywhere else under Level Three.

In a Wednesday briefing, Health Ministry official Son Young-rae said two weeks have passed since the measures were put in place in the Seoul metro region, and as the government continues to monitor effects, it also needs to review if stronger curbs are needed if numbers don’t go down.

According to Son, future measures will focus on weak spots after assessing whether infections were spreading through private gatherings or group facilities.

On Friday, the state vaccine task force announced that COVID-19 vaccinations for people in the 18 to 49 age group will begin on August 26.

Vaccine reservations will begin for over 17-point-seven million people in the age group on August 9.

A new system will be introduced to prevent overcrowding on the booking site. People can make reservations only on days whose last number matches the last number of their birth date.

Vaccinations will take place from August 26 to September 30. People can go to a medical institution or vaccination center of their choice to receive the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine.

A priority group of two million people whom local governments believe need the jabs first can make reservations in early August to get the shots from the 17th.