Announcement Today on Extension of Metropolitan Area 'Social Distancing Level 2.5'

On the 20th, the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection has been in the triple digits for the fifth consecutive day. Near Saemunan-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, office workers are heading to work wearing masks. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The decision on whether to extend the 2.5-level social distancing measures in the Seoul metropolitan area will be made on the 13th.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) plans to hold a meeting at 3 p.m. chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun to finalize the operational plan related to the 2.5-level measures in the metropolitan area. The results will be announced at a regular briefing around 4:30 p.m.

The CDSCH has been reviewing various options regarding the adjustment of distancing levels, including ending the measures, re-extending them, or introducing a third alternative. It is known that the final plan had not been decided as of the previous day.

From the perspective of infection control alone, it is difficult to end the current 2.5-level measures all at once. As of midnight the previous day, the daily new confirmed cases were 136, which corresponds to level 3 of social distancing.

The authorities had hoped that the number of new confirmed cases would drop to double digits, a level manageable by the medical system and quarantine network, but since the 14th of last month (103 cases), the number has never fallen below 100.

However, the government has emphasized that when deciding on distancing measures, it considers not only the scale of confirmed cases but also gathers opinions from local governments, experts, and various sectors, while thoroughly reviewing social and economic impacts. Previously, when the daily confirmed cases approached the low 100s on the 7th of this month, the CDSCH stated, "If things continue like this, there will be no need for an additional extension of the 2.5-level measures." A 'third alternative' that enhances the effectiveness of level 2.5 while addressing its shortcomings has also been publicly discussed.

The third alternative is known to involve easing the 2.5-level measures to maintain them for a while longer but conditionally lifting some operational restrictions on medium-risk facilities such as restaurants and cafes.

The CDSCH views this decision as having a significant impact on future COVID-19 responses and plans to conduct a detailed analysis of the domestic spread situation up until just before the meeting to reach a conclusion.

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