"Chuseok as a Test"... Government to Announce Special Quarantine Measures Today

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The government will announce detailed measures for social distancing to be applied during the 'Chuseok Special Quarantine Period' on the 25th.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will announce quarantine measures and detailed social distancing steps to be applied during the Chuseok Special Quarantine Period at 12 PM on the same day.

The quarantine authorities have designated the period from the 28th of this month to the 11th of next month as the 'Chuseok Special Quarantine Period,' considering that this Chuseok holiday could be a critical turning point determining whether the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) will resurge or subside.

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters' quarantine team, explained, "Considering the characteristics of the Chuseok holiday, we will strengthen some parts beyond level 2 social distancing and adjust measures that are too strict."

Meanwhile, the number of new domestic confirmed cases has been in the triple digits for consecutive days. Sporadic cluster infections have continued mainly in the metropolitan area at offices, daycare centers, religious facilities, and hospitals, causing the previously somewhat subdued spread to rise again.

In particular, with new confirmed cases exceeding 100 again over the past two days, concerns are rising that the number of confirmed cases might surge explosively ahead of the holiday.

In Seoul, the cluster infection related to Severance Hospital in Seodaemun-gu has spread to a family in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, and to the Somang Community nursing home in Pocheon-si. Confirmed cases have also been reported consecutively at Park Ae-won, a mental nursing facility in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, Semyung Christian Hospital in Pohang, and a health product briefing session in Yeonje-gu, Busan.

Park Neung-hoo, first head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, emphasized yesterday, "Chuseok, which we face alongside COVID-19, will be a testing ground to determine whether there will be a resurgence," adding, "COVID-19 can be overcome when everyone acts as a subject of quarantine together."

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