With the nation's advisory committee on infectious diseases set to discuss lifting the indoor mask mandate on Tuesday, panel chief Jung Ki-suck said he does not expect such a decision to accelerate the transmission of COVID-19.

In a press briefing on Monday, Jung said the time to lift the mandate has neared, projecting the latest wave of the pandemic to end after an additional two to three million infections are reported in the country.

Despite favorable domestic conditions, the chief adviser said it would be safest to further monitor external factors before making a decision.

He also urged high-risk groups, including the elderly and those with weak immune systems, to get bivalent booster shots, warning that a mask mandate adjustment would expose them to more risk.