Dispersing Peak Vacation Period 'Late July to Early August'... Park Neung-hoo Says "Summer Vacation Until September"

Park Neung-hoo, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare, center), is speaking while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) held on the morning of the 29th at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City. <이미지:Yonhap News>

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), stated on the 29th that "the summer vacation period will be extended until September to reduce the concentration of peak season vacations in private companies."

Before the meeting that day, Deputy Head Park said, "Last year, 70% of private sector workers took their vacations between late July and early August," and added that the government is discussing measures to disperse the vacation season to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

He said, "If many people concentrate on resorts in a short period, the risk of COVID-19 spreading increases," and requested, "Employers and managers are asked to cooperate by allowing employees to freely take vacations during off-peak seasons and to split lunch hours into two shifts for dining."

In the Daejeon and Chungcheong areas, where COVID-19 cases have recently surged, a joint residential treatment center was opened from that day to efficiently use hospital beds and accommodate mild and asymptomatic patients. Currently, government-operated residential treatment centers only accept patients from the metropolitan area or serve as facilities exclusively for foreigners, but due to the increase in patients around the Daejeon door-to-door sales companies and neighboring regions, an additional center was opened.

He also urged active cooperation from each ministry and local government if similar situations spread to other regions. Deputy Head Park said, "To efficiently utilize treatment resources, we are establishing a regional joint quarantine system that transcends city and provincial administrative districts," and added, "We will open the Postal Officials Training Institute located in Cheonan."

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