Government to Decide on 'Everyday Quarantine' Direction by Tomorrow (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The government announced on the 18th that it will announce on the 19th whether to transition to daily quarantine measures in response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Kim Kang-lip, the first chief coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said at a regular briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, "The government is considering guidelines that can be applied in the new normal through the participation of the public, taking into account the various impacts on the economy and society."

Chief Coordinator Kim said, "We are listening widely to the opinions of various experts, local governments, and the public," and added, "We will do our best to make a reasonable decision on the direction by tomorrow."

However, the government urged people to continue practicing high-intensity social distancing until this weekend. Chief Coordinator Kim said, "Please do not lower your guard until this weekend and continue to participate in social distancing to protect yourself, your family, and the community," adding, "There is a steady proportion of cases whose infection routes are unknown or under investigation."

Meanwhile, the number of new domestic COVID-19 confirmed cases dropped to the teens on the same day, marking 58 days since February 20. Chief Coordinator Kim explained, "It is true that our society has successfully delayed the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing so far," but added, "This does not mean that COVID-19 has completely disappeared or that we can immediately return to life before COVID-19."

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