Incheon to Implement Social Distancing Level 1.5 Tomorrow, Level 2 on 24th... Reduction of All School Attendance

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] Incheon City will raise the social distancing level to 1.5 from midnight on the 23rd and to level 2 from midnight on the 24th. The number of students attending kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools will also be reduced.

On the 22nd, Incheon City announced that it would apply level 1.5 social distancing from midnight on the 23rd, four days later than Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, which have been implementing level 1.5 since the 19th. Then, from midnight on the 24th, it will raise the distancing level to 2 along with Seoul and Gyeonggi.

Incheon City's level 1.5 quarantine rules are more relaxed than the government's guidelines, considering that the spread of COVID-19 is not as severe compared to Seoul and Gyeonggi. For example, while the government's level 1.5 rules allow only up to 30% seating capacity for religious activities, Incheon applies up to 50%. However, whether the level 2 quarantine rules will also be adjusted to fit local characteristics like level 1.5 will be decided after consultation with relevant departments.

The adjustment of school attendance numbers follows the government's policy to raise the social distancing level to 2 in the metropolitan area. From the 24th, when social distancing is raised to level 2, attendance at kindergartens, elementary, middle, and special schools will be reduced to one-third, and high schools to two-thirds.

The 'Special Quarantine Period for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)', which has been in effect since the 17th, will be maintained until the 3rd of next month. From the 26th, one week before the CSAT, all high schools in the area plan to switch to remote classes.

Meanwhile, Incheon City reported 26 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,227 as of 6 p.m.