Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg
A post by a physician in South Korea recently sparked controversy, after he stated that those who had not yet contracted Covid-19 likely do not have friends.
Interpersonal problems?
According to the Korea Herald, Ma Sang-hyuk, the vice president of the Korean Vaccine Society, had first made the Facebook post on Mar. 16.
He wrote that adults who have not yet been infected with Covid-19 are those "who have interpersonal problems".
The Korea Herald reported that in an interview with a local news outlet, Ma shared that as a proponent of "living with Covid-19", his “interpersonal problems” quip had been a metaphor to emphasise on how contracting the virus is inevitable.
Ma has been one of the few experts in South Korea to state that authorities should focus on Covid-19 treatment, rather than the tightening of social distancing measures as the country grapples with an ongoing Omicron wave.
Ma's post was reportedly made when the number of new daily Covid-19 cases in Korea exceeded 400,000, and the number of deaths were hitting record highs.
The original Facebook post by Ma was later removed, but not before a screenshot of it was shared widely online.
A similar comment was also shared by a Mexican infectious disease expert earlier this year.
Covid-19 situation in South Korea
According to News18, as of Wednesday, Mar. 23, the total number of Covid-19 infections recorded in South Korea has surpassed the 10 million mark, and nearly one out of every five people in the country has tested positive for C0vid-19.
The Associated Press reported on Mar. 22 that health officials in South Korea have instructed crematoriums to burn more bodies per day amid a record increase in the number of Covid-19 deaths.
The backlog has reportedly also overwhelmed funeral homes, where families struggle to make funeral arrangements because of the longer wait for cremations.
Follow and listen to our podcast here
Top image via Unsplash