"Please Stop Talking Inside the Elevator" Citizens 'Anxious' About COVID-19 Infection Risk

Elevator New Cluster Infection Link Raises Spread Concerns
Experts "High Transmission Risk in Enclosed Spaces... Strict Personal Hygiene Required"

A notice stating that individuals without masks are not allowed to board is posted at the entrance of an elevator in a building.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kang Joo-hee] "Please be quiet in the elevator..."

As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation continues, some people are not properly following quarantine guidelines by talking or making phone calls inside elevators, causing anxiety among citizens.

Because the space itself is small, droplets can spread during conversations, potentially contaminating frequently touched buttons and handrails with the virus, and since it is a space where social distancing is difficult, the risk of infection is also high.

Experts advise that personal hygiene management must be thorough as the probability of infectious disease transmission is high in enclosed spaces.

In a recent post on an online community, netizen A said, "I really wish people wouldn’t talk in the elevator. Isn’t that just common courtesy?" He added, "Sometimes at work during lunch breaks, people rush to get on the elevator all at once. Then the small space gets packed with people, and during the short ride down, they laugh and chatter, which made me feel really anxious and uncomfortable."

A said, "One day, I even saw someone on the elevator who seemed to have rented it out, pulling their mask down below their chin to make a phone call," adding, "Shouldn’t we be more careful in elevators where social distancing is impossible? I’m so anxious now that I try not to take the elevator unless it’s really urgent."

Recently, in an apartment complex in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, a case of group COVID-19 infection occurred among residents who had no direct contact with each other, and the elevator, a shared space, was identified as a likely infection route.

Although the exact circumstances of the infection are unclear, the fact that group infections occurred inside elevators, which are used several times daily in everyday life, has increased citizens’ anxiety.

As the novel coronavirus infection situation continues, some people are not properly following quarantine guidelines, such as talking or making phone calls inside elevators, causing citizens to feel uneasy.
Photo by Yonhap News

In a post on a mom’s cafe, netizen B said, "There is now a perception that masks are essential in daily life, so fewer people go without masks, but I still see many people talking or making phone calls inside elevators," adding, "Even if you wear a mask, droplets can still spread in a confined space when talking. You’re only in the elevator for about 30 seconds, or at most a minute, so I wish people could hold back during that time."

Quarantine authorities recommend wearing masks and refraining from conversation in enclosed spaces like elevators as part of detailed social distancing guidelines.

However, compared to mask-wearing and hand sanitizing, which have become established in daily life, refraining from conversation in enclosed spaces is relatively poorly observed.

As a result, some apartments and buildings have posted notices prohibiting conversation inside elevators along with reminders to wear masks.

C, a worker in their 20s, said, "I recently went to a building for some errands and saw a notice saying 'Mask wearing mandatory in elevator, no talking allowed,'" adding, "Even though many people were on the elevator, everyone wore masks and remained silent, which made me feel safe and very comfortable."

He continued, "Not long ago, I rode the elevator with people who were talking loudly, and I was angry that I had to lower my head and feel anxious because of their conversation," adding, "It may seem trivial, but there is a big difference between following and not following these quarantine rules. Since many people use elevators, I hope everyone strictly follows the quarantine guidelines."

Experts suggest that personal hygiene management must be thorough in spaces where social distancing is difficult due to the high probability of infectious disease transmission.

Professor Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "There is no safe space from COVID-19. Since the risk of infection is higher in enclosed spaces, conversations inside elevators should be avoided," adding, "Cross-infection can also occur through buttons and other surfaces besides talking."

He continued, "Ultimately, personal hygiene such as wearing masks and washing hands, along with facility hygiene management, must be carried out simultaneously. Wearing a mask alone will not solve the problem," emphasizing, "Since the spread has reached a level where government quarantine guidelines are almost meaningless, it is necessary to raise social distancing to level 2 and strengthen quarantine measures to raise citizens’ awareness."