Health authorities plan to downgrade a nationwide indoor mask mandate to a recommendation once they see COVID-19 indices reach acceptable levels.

According to ruling People Power Party(PPP) policy chief Sung Il-jong on Thursday, the government unveiled the plan during a bipartite consultative meeting.

Some of the key factors under consideration include signs that the latest wave is slowing down, as well as the number of critical cases and deaths.

High-risk facilities, such as nursing homes, hospitals and welfare centers, however, will be exempt from the relaxed rules.

The PPP policy chief said his party asked the government to be more decisive and prompt in lifting regulations in consideration of the declining severity of variants, concerns over children's speech impediment, and herd immunity.

The ruling party also delivered expert consensus that the nation’s healthcare system can withstand any future waves of infections once they lift the mask mandate.

The government is expected to announce changes to the mandate in Friday's meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters based on the two-way discussions.