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Many Young Koreans Believe COVID Infections Depend on Luck

More than half of young Koreans feel invincible in the face of coronavirus infection, according to a survey, largely because their health is good.

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The findings are based on the survey of 813 adults living in Seoul by a team led by Yoo Myung-soon at Seoul National University. It found that 54 percent of respondents in their 20s and 62 percent in their 30s felt coronavirus infections depend on luck.

That compares to 42.8 percent of respondents in their 40s, 43.8 percent in their 50s and 38.3 percent in their 60s.

Yoo said, "Young people tended to believe that fate played a strong part in chances of infection. This is closely related to confidence in their good health".

Seventy percent of 20-seomthings insisted that they are healthy.

But the researchers warned that such attitudes lead to lax adherence to quarantine orders. Only 24 percent of respondents in their 20s and 36 percent in their 30s said they are refraining from clubs and bars to prevent infection.

And yet people in their 20s appeared more fearful than other age groups of any criticism that could hit them if they do get infected.

Another survey of 1,000 adults nationwide conducted by Yoo showed 65.4 percent of those in their 20s saying they feared they would be criticized when they were infected, compared to the average of 60 percent, perhaps because they spend so much time on social media with their virtual lynch mobs.

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