Outdoor 'No Mask'... What Do You Think About Large-Scale Gatherings?

Conservative Groups Hold Large Rally at Seoul Gwanghwamun on the 3rd
"Isn't COVID Spreading Again?" Citizens Feel 'Anxious'

On the afternoon of October 3rd, National Foundation Day, conservative groups including the Liberty Unification Party held a rally around Sejong-daero in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "What if COVID-19 spreads again?" "Honestly, I'm very anxious."

As conservative groups including the Liberty Unification Party led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church held a rally near Gwanghwamun, Seoul on the 3rd, citizens expressed concerns that the large-scale outdoor gathering without masks might lead to a resurgence of COVID-19.

The conservative groups held the "Ten Million Signature National Rally for Liberty and Unification" from around 1 p.m. that day, starting in front of Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, extending to the Daehanmun Gate in Deoksugung, on both the road and sidewalks. It is reported that about 30,000 people participated in the rally.

Consequently, concerns about the spread of COVID-19 have arisen. Mr. Kim, a company employee in his 30s, said, "Although COVID-19 has been subsiding, it is inevitable to feel uneasy when so many people gather without wearing masks." Mr. Park, a self-employed person in his 40s, raised his voice, saying, "COVID-19 had just calmed down, but if people gather like this again without masks, won't it spread again?"

The government also clarified that the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate does not mean masks are no longer necessary. On the 23rd of last month, Baek Kyung-ran, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), stated, "The lifting of the outdoor mask mandate does not mean that wearing masks outdoors is unnecessary. Rather, only the national-level mandatory measure subject to fines has been lifted."

On the afternoon of the 3rd, National Foundation Day, conservative groups including the Liberty Unification Party are holding a rally around the Gwanghwamun Sejong-daero intersection in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The government also specifically explained outdoor situations where mask-wearing is strongly recommended: △ when experiencing suspected COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat △ if you belong to a high-risk group such as the elderly, immunocompromised, or unvaccinated, or if you have close contact with high-risk individuals △ in crowded situations where activities generating droplets (such as shouting, singing, or talking) are frequent.

Furthermore, the government explained that the need for mask-wearing increases in crowded situations with high droplet generation. Director Baek emphasized, "Even outdoors, if there is a very dense crowd and it is difficult to maintain distance, and there are many droplet-generating activities, wearing a mask outdoors is still recommended." In summary, the more people gather and the more droplet-producing activities occur, the more necessary it is to wear masks outdoors.

In line with the KDCA's opinion, the risk of COVID-19 transmission does not disappear just because it is outdoors. For example, during the 2020 Liberation Day rally, tens of thousands of church members and conservative group members gathered in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, and a large number of COVID-19 cases were confirmed after the rally. Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, who was a close contact and subject to quarantine, took the stage without a mask and was confirmed positive two days later.

Meanwhile, as demands for lifting indoor mask mandates arise among citizens following the outdoor mask mandate lift, the government is cautiously reviewing the matter due to the possibility of simultaneous outbreaks of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. The health authorities maintain the position that it is not too late to consider lifting the indoor mask mandate after overcoming the critical period this winter.

On the 3rd, the health authorities stated, "Since there is still a possibility of a resurgence between December and March, the mandate is expected to be lifted no earlier than after March next year, and at the latest in the first half of the year."