Lotte Shopping Forms TF to Prepare Countermeasures
Homeplus Response Manual Detailed
Shinsegae Department Store Installs Automatic Disinfectors
Seoul City Begins 'Clean Zone' Certification
On the 7th, the Lotte Department Store main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, where a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection visited, will temporarily close until the 9th. Department store staff are posting a closure notice on the door. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Over the past weekend, as stores across the country including Lotte Department Store and Shinsegae Department Store temporarily closed due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the distribution industry has launched an all-out quarantine effort to minimize consumer anxiety.
According to the distribution industry on the 24th, Lotte Shopping immediately formed a task force (TF) to prepare countermeasures as soon as the first domestic COVID-19 case was confirmed on the 20th of last month. Lotte Shopping established preventive action guidelines corresponding to the infectious disease crisis alert levels of 'Interest - Caution - Warning - Serious' and disseminated them to Lotte Department Store, Lotte Mart, and others. They have also conducted drills and exercises according to the response for each situation.
The results of Lotte Shopping's TF were revealed on the 7th. On that day, Lotte Department Store's main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, received notification from health authorities that the 23rd confirmed case had visited. Accordingly, they immediately conducted an announcement and began the store closure process, and were able to start disinfection work within an hour of receiving the notification.
Homeplus has also been preparing countermeasures for over a month. Homeplus subdivided responses into visits by suspected infected persons, visits by confirmed cases, and confirmed cases among employees or their families. In the case of Homeplus Gwangju Gaerim branch, which temporarily closed on the 21st, although it was confirmed that a suspected infected person (not a confirmed case) had visited, Homeplus proceeded with temporary closure according to their response manual.
Shinsegae Department Store is currently conducting a pilot operation by installing automatic handrail disinfectors on escalators at the main branch and Gangnam branch. After strengthening disinfection throughout the stores following the COVID-19 outbreak, Shinsegae Department Store plans to decide whether to expand installation locations based on the results of the pilot operation of the automatic handrail disinfectors.
Seoul City has also stepped in to help reduce consumer anxiety. Seoul City started certifying 'Clean Zone' to confirm safety once disinfection of stores visited by confirmed COVID-19 cases is completed. On the 17th, the first Clean Zone mark was attached to Emart Gongdeok branch. Subsequently, on the 21st, Clean Zone marks were attached to Lotte Department Store main branch and Shinsegae Department Store main branch, among others.
Meanwhile, as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise day by day, the possibility of additional store closures is high. In fact, on the 22nd and 23rd, when confirmed cases increased by as many as 400, stores temporarily closed nationwide like dominoes.
On the 22nd, Lotte Mart Cheongju Sangdang branch and Daejeon Noeun branch temporarily closed. On the 23rd, Lotte Department Store Yeongdeungpo branch and Shinsegae Department Store food hall closed. Emart Gwacheon branch also closed for a day because it shares a building with the Shincheonji headquarters, and cases of temporary closures occurred across the country.
A distribution industry official said, "As the number of confirmed cases increases, we are considering situations where places that have temporarily closed once may close again," adding, "We will do our best in disinfection work to minimize customer anxiety."
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