Kwon Jun-wook: "I think there will be no year-end and New Year gatherings this year... Please refrain from family and acquaintance meetings"

Surge in Cluster Infections at Multi-use Facilities... "Younger Generation Must Be More Vigilant"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] "Please refrain from year-end and New Year gatherings with the mindset that there will be no gatherings this year."

On the 24th, Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated at the regular briefing on the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), "To prevent the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic crisis, please consider that there will be no gatherings in 2020."

Deputy Head Kwon emphasized, "As seen in the recent trends of COVID-19 cases in university areas, young people, who have a wide range of activities and many asymptomatic infections, need to be more vigilant about COVID-19 and strengthen social distancing."

He said, "Spending this year-end and New Year period without face-to-face gatherings is the way to protect the lives of high-risk groups around us, preserve medical capacity, and safely get through the last winter without a COVID-19 vaccine," adding, "It is also essential for the safe administration of the college entrance exam for high school students and repeat test takers ahead of the exam next month."

In particular, since the beginning of this month, cluster infections in family and acquaintance gatherings and multi-use facilities have sharply increased in everyday places, raising concerns among health authorities.

Deputy Head Kwon said, "There were only 14 cluster infection cases in the fourth week of October (18?24), but the number increased to 41 in the second week of November (8?14)," adding, "What is more concerning is that during the same period, the locations of cluster infections increased significantly from 6 to 18 cases in family and acquaintance gatherings, and from 1 to 10 cases in multi-use facilities."

Since many cluster infections occur in places with high contact frequency and where mask-wearing is likely to be neglected, it is necessary to voluntarily and actively comply with quarantine rules, such as refraining from attending unnecessary gatherings as much as possible.

Deputy Head Kwon expressed concern, saying, "There is about one month left in 2020, and fatigue from prolonged quarantine measures may build up, leading to feelings of despair," but "carelessness appearing here and there causes domino-like chain infections, and ultimately the damage returns to those vulnerable to infection."

He continued, "If quarantine measures are strengthened, only tears will be shed by our neighbors who are small business owners and self-employed," and urged, "Please think once more of the irreversible loss of elderly lives and self-employed people struggling with their livelihoods, and for all citizens to thoroughly comply with quarantine rules."