Health Authorities "Strict Mask Wearing in Cafes and Strengthened Distancing for Waiting Customers... Group Guests Must Make Reservations" (Update)

Seongdong-gu Office employees conducting an on-site inspection of a study cafe. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] Amid a cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a cafe located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, health authorities announced that cafe users must wear masks when ordering, before and after drinking beverages, and that group customers can only use cafes through reservations.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced at a regular briefing on the 7th the "Establishment and Management Plan for Cafe Quarantine Rules," stating, "Due to the high risk of infection transmission in cafes, we intend to supplement and add to the existing cafe quarantine rules and strengthen quarantine management through separate guidance."

Kim Kang-rip, the first chief coordinator of the CDSCH, emphasized, "Strengthening quarantine rules in cafes may be inconvenient, but please understand that these are the minimum rules to protect everyone, and we ask for the cooperation of business owners and users."

On the same day, the CDSCH received a report containing these details from the Central Accident Response Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and urged, "Users must wear masks when entering cafes, waiting to order, moving around, talking, and before and after consuming food (beverages), and managers and workers must wear masks at all times."

They added, "Avoid visiting during crowded hours, and if visiting is unavoidable, take out or minimize the time spent inside," and "To comply with social distancing, when there are waiting customers, they should be guided to maintain a distance of 2m (1m) or more between each other using floor stickers and notices."