"Social Distancing, Penalties Needed if Not Followed"…More Emphasis on 'Carrot' Than 'Stick'

Research Team Led by Myung Yoomsoon at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, Results of the 3rd COVID-19 Survey
2 out of 3 People Positively Evaluate Social Distancing
Increase in Compliance with Personal Rules and Restraint from Gatherings... "Rising Anger and Frustration Toward Those Not Participating in Distancing"

As the government urged for strict social distancing measures to overcome COVID-19, Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul was crowded with visitors on the 29th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Daeyeol] A public opinion survey revealed that in order to sustain the 'social distancing' emphasized by health authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19, it is necessary to impose penalties for non-compliance, thus requiring a degree of enforcement. This suggests that a 'stick' approach is preferred over a 'carrot' approach.

On the 31st, a survey conducted by the research team led by Professor Myung Yoomsoon of Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health (President of the Korean Health Communication Association) targeting 1,000 adults nationwide showed that 68.7% of respondents felt positively about 'social distancing.' Only 8.8% viewed it negatively.

Social distancing is a traditional quarantine concept aimed at minimizing contact between individuals or groups to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. It was emphasized during the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak in the United States and earlier during localized polio outbreaks in early 20th century New York. The Korean government is also urging the public to maintain strict social distancing measures until the 5th of next month to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Although the government campaign runs until the 5th of next month, given the high likelihood that the COVID-19 situation will continue beyond the end of social distancing measures, it is necessary to maintain these practices steadily in daily life. The survey results showed that the most supported measure to sustain social distancing was imposing penalties on groups or institutions that do not comply, scoring 4.24 on a 5-point scale. Criticism of certain facilities or institutions for holding gatherings without following quarantine guidelines aligns with this perspective.

The next most supported response, scoring 4.21, was the need to firmly establish systems or support measures such as sick leave benefits to enable the common sense practice of 'staying home when sick' at workplaces or schools. Providing information and communication to explain why social distancing measures are necessary scored 4.19, followed by the need to foster a creative and positive social distancing culture at 4.1. The lowest score, 3.82, was for the idea of providing incentives for participation.

The number of respondents who reported wearing masks, practicing thorough hand hygiene, refraining from going out, and reducing visits to crowded facilities increased compared to the same survey conducted a month earlier. Those who reduced gatherings and limited use of public transportation and hospitals increased by more than 10 percentage points in some cases. The research team analyzed, "The strong practice of infection prevention behaviors suggests that it may trigger anger or frustration toward others who do not participate in social distancing."

As the COVID-19 crisis prolongs, the tendency for the daily lives of many citizens to come to a halt has intensified. The research team scored the state of daily life on a scale where 0 points represented a complete stop and 100 points represented no change. The score was 42.0, lower than the 58.4 points in the first survey at the end of January and 48.3 points in the survey at the end of February. The proportion of respondents scoring below 50 increased from less than half in the first survey to 64.5% in this survey. Although the number of new confirmed cases has decreased and more people have recovered and been released from quarantine, this indicates that COVID-19 still has a significant impact.

Meanwhile, when asked about the greatest concerns if the COVID-19 crisis continues, two out of three respondents (66.2%) ranked economic inequality as their first or second concern, the highest among options. Concerns about religious conflicts, regional imbalances, and ideological conflicts were also relatively high. Professor Myung said, "Many people are practicing preventive measures and social distancing at unprecedented levels, but this desperate effort is triggering anger toward those who deviate, violate, or cheat against these efforts." He added, "Consistent efforts are needed to enhance group rationality and implement policies that provide practical support to citizens fighting the virus in their daily lives."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.