[Q&A] "No quarantine effect from sanctions alone... Cooperation on 'social distancing' is crucial"

On the 2nd, citizens are walking along the cherry blossom path on Yeouiseo-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Despite strengthened social distancing measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the amount of public movement increased last weekend. In particular, it rose by about 20% compared to the end of February when the Shincheonji Daegu Church cluster infection occurred.

Kim Kang-lip, the 1st General Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Vice Minister of Health and Welfare), stated at a regular briefing held at the Government Sejong Complex on the 6th, "As more people feel fatigued from continued social distancing, public participation has rather weakened over the past two weeks when strong social distancing was urged."

Kim said, "Analyzing data from the 4th, the movement volume increased by 4 percentage points, which corresponds to about 200,000 people. This is about a 20% increase compared to the end of February." He added, "It is regrettable because if our society had participated more actively in social distancing, much better results could have been achieved."

Especially, the floating population in commercial districts and recreational areas in Seoul increased significantly. Kim stated, "As of 2 p.m. the previous day, the floating population in Seoul commercial districts frequented by young people such as Myeongdong, Gangnam Station, and Hongdae increased greatly compared to 11 a.m. By 4 p.m., visitors to flower viewing areas near Yeouido, the Han River, and Namsan surged compared to 2 p.m."

The government reiterated that social distancing is effective in blocking the spread of infection. Vice Minister Kim said, "Since the implementation of strengthened social distancing, the proportion of confirmed cases with unknown infection routes decreased from 19.8% to 6.1%. However, despite this effect, movement is increasing due to personal or family outings in the warm spring weather."

◇Below is a Q&A with General Coordinator Kim regarding social distancing

- Social distancing seems to be loosening. Are there plans to take strong regulations or measures?

▲We are considering various measures. For example, we are discussing support plans to enable small churches to conduct online worship services without technical difficulties. In addition to technical and administrative support, we are also strengthening management systems for cases where social distancing is not observed and reviewing penalties for non-compliance with quarantine authorities' orders.

However, the effect of quarantine cannot be achieved by sanctions alone. Each citizen must cooperate by working together simultaneously at home, workplace, and cultural/social spaces to achieve a lifestyle quarantine system where daily life and quarantine harmonize.

- Today's increase in new patients is below the social distancing target of fewer than 50. How long will social distancing continue?

▲In local communities, high-intensity social distancing is being implemented, and efforts are focused on blocking overseas inflow internationally. To see stable effects in blocking overseas inflow, it is necessary to observe at least until the 15th. Considering these two factors, it is necessary to apply strengthened measures at least until the 19th.

- Some regions have no patient occurrences. Is there a need for localized lifestyle quarantine instead of uniform social distancing?

▲The government is not considering applying measures in a dichotomous manner. Rather, over the next two weeks, we need to prepare for a form where personal and social quarantine harmonize by considering which parts of daily life quarantine should be observed and how such norms will be practiced in schools, religious organizations, workplaces, and so on.

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