The enforcement of vaccine passes at restaurants, cafes and other multiuse facilities will be temporarily lifted starting Tuesday to reduce the burden of health workers mobilized to issue negative test certificates, Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol said Monday.

Speaking at an interagency COVID-19 response meeting, Jeon said the decision will help the government prioritize its administrative capacity toward dealing with the fast spread of the omicron coronavirus variant and high-risk virus patients.

Jeon pointed out that public health centers have recently been burdened with issuing negative virus test certificates following the latest wave of omicron and lifting the vaccine pass requirements will allow health officials to focus their efforts on better treating high-risk patients.

The minister also said some 3,000 central government workers will be sent across 258 local health centers to provide support in dealing with the omicron surge. Some 1,000 military personnel will also be mobilized by the weekend. (Yonhap)