The government says it will consider lifting indoor mask mandates and self-quarantine for confirmed COVID-19 patients when the pandemic situation stabilizes.

In making the announcement on Tuesday, senior health ministry official Lim Sook-young said it is too early to lift such measures now due to their effectiveness in moderating the spread of the virus, adding that any easing must be executed carefully.

Lim said the government will consider suspending the mandates after comprehensively analyzing the pandemic situation at home and abroad and referring to various studies and expert opinions.

While local experts generally agree that it is too early to suspend such policies, they also believe it is time to review such a move, with Korea's top infectious disease expert Jung Ki-suck projecting the indoor mask mandate to end next spring after the spread of the seasonal flu abates.