"Singapore Sees 14-Fold Increase in Patients After School Opens"... Government Unlikely to Decide on School Attendance Timing This Month

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun, Two Consecutive Days Saying "Singapore Case as a Lesson"
Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters "Easter and General Election, Will Analyze After Observing Trends for the Next 1-2 Weeks"

On the 16th, when nationwide high school 1st and 2nd graders, middle school 1st and 2nd graders, and elementary school 4th to 6th graders started online classes, the principal at Yongsan Elementary School in Seoul greeted the students online. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] "Taking the cases of Singapore and other countries as a lesson..." (Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the 14th)

"Regarding the timing and method of school reopening, we refer to cases such as Singapore where cluster infections occurred..." (Same meeting on the 16th)

From the 16th, upper grades of elementary school and 1st and 2nd grades of middle and high school started online classes. When the remaining lower grades of elementary school begin online classes from the 20th, all elementary, middle, and high school students will receive remote instruction. Amid the easing spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the government has decided to take a conservative approach in determining the actual timing for students to physically attend school. The basis for this judgment is Singapore, where COVID-19 cases surged after school reopening.

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun urged at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the 16th, "Regarding the timing and method of school reopening, we must carefully discuss by referring to the case of Singapore where cluster infections occurred." Kim Kang-rip, the first deputy head of the countermeasures headquarters, emphasized in a briefing after the meeting, "Singapore was evaluated as a relatively exemplary country in quarantine, but after reopening schools and returning to daily life, the number of confirmed cases increased 14-fold over one month," adding, "There must be various evaluations regarding these risk factors."

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is speaking at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting for the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) held on the morning of the 16th at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City.

Education authorities and frontline schools are currently making every effort to prepare and operate online school openings. The government is also monitoring domestic and international patient occurrence trends and quarantine measures daily while discussing the timing of school reopening, but it stated that there is no specific deadline under discussion. Deputy Head Kim said, "I believe people will understand that the government is not in a position to make immediate decisions or disclose specific and definitive information frequently."

Singapore reported its first COVID-19 patient in late January, and the number increased to 102 by the end of February after more than a month. Until late March, the daily average increase was about 16 cases. Schools reopened on March 23, after which cases surged. At that time, there were opinions both inside and outside the government that it was premature, but it was judged that thorough quarantine activities within schools would minimize problems. However, after reopening, sporadic cluster infections have occurred, and currently, more than 130 new cases are reported daily on average. This is the background for the view that no matter how meticulous the quarantine measures are, gaps are inevitable.

On the 16th, when upper-grade elementary and middle and high school 1st and 2nd graders had their second online school opening, a student using the care classroom at Yongsan Elementary School in Seoul is participating in the online opening ceremony. Photo by Honam Moon munonam@

Domestically, new cases through cluster infections centered on hospitals and nursing homes continue, and although the number has been greatly reduced, there are still patients whose infection routes are unknown, so authorities judge that risk factors remain. Deputy Head Kim said, "The Singapore case, where physical school reopening occurred under stable conditions, is a case that our government must carefully monitor, analyze, and evaluate," adding, "It is a natural step to analyze and evaluate various social events around Easter and the general election last weekend and then decide the future direction."

Considering the virus incubation period, it is interpreted that the government intends to observe the situation for at least one week, and up to two to three weeks, before making a judgment. This means it is unlikely that the timing of school reopening will be concluded within this month.

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