Sharp Surge in COVID-19 Cases Centered on Metropolitan Area Churches... Social Distancing Strengthened for 2 Weeks
Advisory to Refrain from Gatherings and Events... Professional Sports Return to No Spectators
[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) spreads again, with a surge of confirmed cases mainly in churches in the Seoul metropolitan area, health authorities will strengthen social distancing to Level 2 in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province for two weeks starting from the 16th. They recommend refraining from various gatherings and events, and professional sports games will be held without spectators again. The number of students attending school will also be reduced to about one-third.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stated in his opening remarks at the Emergency Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting held at the Government Seoul Office on the 15th, "The spread of COVID-19 centered in the metropolitan area is very serious," and announced, "We will raise social distancing to Level 2 in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province."
Prime Minister Chung emphasized, "This is a critical moment that could lead to a resurgence of COVID-19 experienced by countries around the world," and "The top priority is to swiftly block the spread of infections in the metropolitan area." He added, "Since the metropolitan area has experience in easing social distancing, tightening it again may be difficult," and urged, "Seoul and Gyeonggi Province should ensure that the strengthened quarantine rules are efficiently implemented on the ground, and health authorities should actively support local governments."
Strengthening Social Distancing to Level 2... Refrain from Various Events and Gatherings
Accordingly, health authorities recommend refraining from non-essential outings, gatherings, and use of multi-use facilities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province for the next two weeks. All private and public gatherings and events with 50 or more people indoors and 100 or more people outdoors should be avoided. Even if events are held inevitably, mask-wearing and social distancing among attendees must be strictly observed. This applies to various recruitment exams, certification tests, weddings, exhibitions, alumni meetings, and other gatherings. Professional sports events such as soccer and baseball, which recently resumed allowing spectators, will switch to no-spectator games starting from the 16th.
PC rooms nationwide will also be newly designated as high-risk facilities. Accordingly, they must comply with strengthened quarantine rules such as managing and recording visitor logs, wearing masks, and introducing a QR code-based electronic entry log system.
PC rooms had been classified as 'medium-risk facilities,' and the application of quarantine rules equivalent to high-risk facilities was decided based on local government judgment. However, as the COVID-19 situation in the metropolitan area worsened and the quarantine level in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province was raised to social distancing Level 2, the CDSCH decided to designate PC rooms as high-risk facilities to preemptively block student infections.
The currently designated high-risk facilities by the government include ▲ entertainment bars ▲ karaoke bars ▲ emotional pubs ▲ hunting pubs ▲ colatecs ▲ indoor standing concert halls ▲ singing practice rooms ▲ indoor group exercise facilities (intense GX types) ▲ distribution logistics centers ▲ large academies (300 or more people) ▲ direct sales promotion centers such as door-to-door sales ▲ buffets, totaling 12 types. Restrictions on the operation of these 12 types of businesses will also be strengthened. The number of users is limited to one person per 4 square meters (㎡), and rules restricting movement within and between facilities (prohibiting movement between rooms and tables, and limiting use to one establishment per day) will be mandatory.
Health authorities plan to strengthen inspections of high-risk facilities. In particular, for door-to-door sales businesses in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province where gathering bans have already been imposed, compliance with the measures will be thoroughly checked and managed, and if confirmed cases occur, claims for damages will also be considered.
Strengthening Management of Multi-use Facilities such as Restaurants and Performance Venues... Adjusting Density in Schools and Companies
In addition to high-risk facilities, multi-use facilities with a certain scale or larger, such as restaurants, water parks, and performance venues with high risk, are required to comply with core quarantine rules such as mask-wearing. Religious facilities are prohibited from holding face-to-face meetings and events other than regular worship services and Buddhist ceremonies. Indoor national and public facilities will limit visitors to about 50% of normal capacity and will operate mainly in a non-face-to-face manner as much as possible.
Social welfare facilities such as welfare centers and daycare centers are recommended to close, while essential services such as emergency care will be maintained to prevent care gaps. For schools, remote classes are recommended in cities, counties, and districts where group outbreaks continue and large-scale contact tracing or testing is underway. Other schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province are instructed to adjust attendance to about one-third of the usual number.
Public institutions will apply flexible and remote work, staggered commuting hours, and staggered lunch breaks. Private companies are also encouraged to take similar measures to reduce density.
145 New Confirmed Cases in the Metropolitan Area Alone... Concentrated Spread Centered on Churches
Meanwhile, the scale of COVID-19 spread in the metropolitan area has been gradually increasing recently. As of midnight on the day, there were 166 new confirmed cases nationwide. The number of locally transmitted cases in the metropolitan area, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, reached a staggering 145. This is the largest scale since the first confirmed case in the country on January 20.
In particular, there is a trend of a surge in confirmed COVID-19 cases centered on churches in the metropolitan area. Confirmed cases have continued mainly among contacts related to Woori Jeil Church in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) announced on the 15th at noon that out of 401 people tested, including members of Woori Jeil Church and their contacts, 33 additional infections were confirmed. The cumulative number of confirmed cases rose to 105. Among the 33 new confirmed cases, 32 were church members and 1 was an acquaintance.
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