[Report] "Standing Close in Line, Talking Without Masks" COVID-19 Blind Spot at Free Meal Centers

Crowds Gather Near Tapgol Park, Jongno-gu, Seoul for Free Meals
"Unable to Use Restaurants, People Sit Near Park to Eat"

Amid emphasized social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, elderly people are standing closely in line waiting for free meal distribution near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 17th. Photo by Yeonju Kim, intern reporter yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Yeonju Kim] "Please wear your mask over your nose, not just hanging on your chin.", "Better to starve than catch COVID-19."

As some free meal centers for the elderly, which had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have resumed operations, it has been confirmed that quarantine management such as entry logs for infection prevention and social distancing is insufficient.

On the morning of the 17th near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the area was crowded with elderly people waiting to receive bread and milk distributed at free meal center A.

The line starting in front of the meal center stretched long beyond the park fence into another alley. Most elderly people aged 60 to 80 met that day wore masks, but due to the hot weather, many had their masks pulled down to their chins, and some were not wearing masks at all.

Mr. Yoo (75), whom we met in front of the meal center, said, "I took the first bus and arrived at 6:30 a.m. to get a number ticket and wait. Before COVID-19, there were many places operating meal centers, so it wasn't this crowded, but now there are fewer places open, so people gather quickly."

Mr. Yoo added, "If you don't wear a mask, you can't even stand in line, so I wear it, but it's so hot that when I sit outside waiting, it's suffocating. It's hard to keep it on continuously, so I take it off briefly and adjust it."

On the morning of the 17th, elderly people waiting for the opening of a free meal center near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, are undergoing temperature checks and using hand sanitizer to prepare for the novel coronavirus infection before receiving food. Photo by Yeonju Kim, intern reporter yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the proportion of confirmed COVID-19 cases aged 60 and over among new patients in the past two weeks rose to about 40%, the highest among age groups. This has raised calls for quarantine management for the elderly, who are considered a high-risk group for COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) also identifies those aged 60 and above as a high-risk group in its COVID-19 treatment guidelines due to the risk of severe health deterioration.

On this day, meal center staff and volunteers helped with temperature checks and hand sanitizer use for the elderly gathered in front of the meal center, but it was insufficient to thoroughly manage the large number of people.

A volunteer at the meal center said, "It's difficult for a few volunteers to manage all 250 elderly people. We frequently ask them to wear masks properly, carefully check temperatures, and spray hand sanitizer on their hands one by one, but since we can't constantly monitor them, some elderly people leave the line or lower their masks to talk."

Because of the large crowd, social distancing was also not maintained. The elderly stood closely in line according to their number tickets. Volunteers raised their voices asking them to keep distance, but it was not properly followed.

The volunteer said, "The line extends even to other shopping alleys; how can distance be maintained? Also, communication with the elderly is a problem."

Ms. Han (72, female) said, "Everyone just waits in front of the meal center because there's nowhere suitable to go inside," sighing, "The (Tapgol) park is closed too, so where else would all these people be?"

Mr. Kim (81) said, "The news always says you can catch COVID-19 if you go to crowded places, so why don't people understand? I'm so hungry I might die before catching COVID-19," expressing frustration.

On the morning of the 17th, elderly people waiting for the opening of a free meal center near Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, are filling out an entry log before receiving food. Photo by Yeonju Kim, intern reporter yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

It was also confirmed that management of entry logs for COVID-19 infection prevention was insufficient. The government mandated electronic entry logs (QR codes) from the 10th for eight high-risk businesses including hunting pubs, and from the 12th for academies and PC rooms, but at the meal center, due to the age characteristics of users, electronic entry logs were difficult to implement, so they were being recorded manually.

The meal center staff explained that food would not be distributed without contact information in preparation for any COVID-19 situation, but some elderly people either did not have a phone number or could not remember it accurately and gave vague answers.

Mr. Kim (71) said, "Last time I came, they said if you don't have a phone number, even if you have a number ticket, they won't give you food, so I borrowed a contact number from a friend I made nearby."

He added, "Many elderly people like me don't have mobile phones, but isn't it because people who are struggling like that come out to get food?"

Elderly people waiting for free meals in the Tapgol Park area, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 17th. Photo by Yeonju Kim, Intern Reporter yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

Experts advised that quarantine management should be done by practicing social distancing of 2 meters or properly wearing masks.

Professor Woojoo Kim, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, pointed out, "In free meal centers, people are densely gathered, and if social distancing is not maintained in places where many people gather, the risk of infection is high."

Professor Kim urged, "If it is difficult to implement distancing due to the structure, masks must be worn properly to reduce contact and thoroughly practice personal quarantine."

Meanwhile, as the impact of COVID-19 cluster infections continues, the number of new confirmed cases rose again to the 40s after four days.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the 17th, 43 new confirmed cases were added, bringing the total to 12,198. The number of new cases had been in the 30s for three days from the 14th to the 16th after recording 49 on the 13th, but increased again to the 40s after four days.

One additional death was reported on the 16th, bringing the total to 279. The domestic COVID-19 fatality rate averages 2.29%, but by age group, it rises sharply: 2.56% for those in their 60s, 10.00% for those in their 70s, and 25.89% for those 80 and older.

The number of recovered and released patients increased by 14 to a total of 10,774. The number of patients currently isolated and receiving treatment increased by 28 to 1,145.