Major Crackdown to Prevent COVID Spread via Youth Facilities
Academies, Private Institutes, Indoor Sports Facilities Urged to Refrain from Operation Until 24th
Proactive Testing Conducted by Identifying Contacts Up to 2 Weeks Before Symptom Onset
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City has issued a two-week closure order starting from the 21st for all coin karaoke rooms in the region.
This measure follows the spread of local infections originating from an Incheon academy instructor who tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting clubs in Itaewon, Seoul. The infection spread through youth facilities such as academies, coin karaoke rooms, and PC rooms.
On the same day, the city ordered a two-week closure of 178 coin karaoke rooms for all citizens and issued an emergency closure order for minors under 19 years old at 2,362 singing practice rooms.
Additionally, the recommendation to refrain from operating academies and private institutes, which was in effect from the 13th to the 19th, has been extended until the 24th. The city also issued administrative orders to 1,403 indoor sports facilities, including Taekwondo and Hapkido gyms used by students, to refrain from operation and comply with quarantine rules until the 24th.
Furthermore, for PC rooms, which were initially ordered to comply with quarantine rules until the 24th, the city is considering extending the period depending on the local COVID-19 infection trends.
The city plans to conduct large-scale crackdowns on karaoke rooms, which pose a high risk of infection, in cooperation with district offices and the police, and will continue on-site inspections of academies and PC rooms.
To ensure that students attending in-person classes can safely use public transportation, hand sanitizers will be provided at 1,020 bus stops near elementary, middle, and high schools. The city will also strengthen on-site administrative guidance regarding restrictions on public transportation use by those not wearing masks, which began on the 20th.
In addition, the city will devote all efforts to proactively identifying confirmed cases through thorough contact tracing and extensive diagnostic testing.
The city has strengthened government quarantine guidelines by identifying contacts for testing not only from two days before symptom onset but extending the contact tracing period to two weeks prior to symptom appearance, conducting proactive and comprehensive testing.
Mayor Park Namchun stated, "Incheon, which has maintained exemplary quarantine measures, experienced a delay in initial response due to one person's false statement, leading to the spread of community infection and causing high school seniors to return home on the first day of in-person classes. The city takes this seriously and will fully mobilize all resources in close cooperation with the education office and district offices to ensure that children can focus on their studies in a safe environment as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, as the third and fourth waves of infection from the Incheon academy instructor who visited Itaewon clubs continue, a total of 33 people, including 17 students and young children (4 residing in Gyeonggi Province), have tested positive for COVID-19 as of today.
This academy instructor concealed their occupation and provided false information about their movements during the initial epidemiological investigation and has been reported to Incheon City for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
