"Still Many Confirmed Cases..." Concerns Over 'K-Quarantine'... Is It Safe to Relax Social Distancing?

Government Eases Social Distancing to Level 1 After Two Months
Average Daily Cases 59.4 in Past Two Weeks Including Chuseok Holiday
Civilians Worry "Concern May Fade", "Level 1 Is Still Too Soon"
Experts Say "Easing Contradicts K-Quarantine Measures"

On the 28th of last month, when the 'Chuseok Special Quarantine Period' began, commuters were walking at Sindorim Station in Guro-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] The government announced that it will lower the nationwide social distancing measure from Level 2 to Level 1 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). However, in the metropolitan area where the decline in infection spread is slow, some Level 2 measures will be partially maintained, such as expanding facilities where quarantine rules are mandatory. Nevertheless, concerns remain that it may be premature as confirmed cases continue to emerge mainly in the metropolitan area. Experts pointed out that inconsistent and unclear policies can cause confusion.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) stated at a regular briefing held on the afternoon of the 11th that nationwide Level 2 social distancing will be adjusted to Level 1, while strengthening precise quarantine management for high-risk multi-use facilities.

Park Neunghoo, the first head of CDSCH, said, "This adjustment is to carry out quarantine more effectively and secure social acceptability," adding, "Considering the decline in social acceptability and difficulties in the lives of ordinary people, it is necessary to transition to a social distancing system that can achieve two goals together: the effectiveness and sustainability of quarantine."

With this measure, 10 types of high-risk facilities such as large academies, buffets, and karaoke rooms will be allowed to operate, and face-to-face church services and attendance at professional baseball and other sports events will be permitted with limited numbers. Direct sales promotion centers, including door-to-door sales, which have seen many cluster infections among high-risk facilities, will remain banned from gathering. Additionally, all facilities and events must comply with core quarantine rules such as wearing masks and social distancing.

In particular, considering the continued cluster infections in the metropolitan area, some Level 2 measures will be additionally applied. First, five types of entertainment facilities such as clubs and nightclubs will have reinforced rules, including limiting the number of people to one per 4 square meters of facility area. Besides high-risk facilities, 16 types of facilities with high risk, including restaurants, wedding halls, and academies, will be required to follow core quarantine rules such as social distancing and disinfection.

However, concerns have been raised that the reopening of high-risk facilities such as karaoke rooms and pubs due to these measures might lead to a resurgence of COVID-19.

An office worker, B (33), said, "When it becomes Level 1, places with high infection risk like karaoke rooms and pubs will be accessible. Since the government publicly announced that it is allowed, I am scared that the number of confirmed cases might surge. Even around me, many people think 'as long as I don't get infected, it's fine.' I have seen people happy that they can now have company dinners. What good is wearing masks properly if the sense of crisis disappears? The number of careless people will only increase."

There are also voices of anxiety that a quarantine crisis might come. Another office worker, B (29), said, "I was worried when it was lowered from Level 2.5 to Level 2, but now it's Level 1, so I think it's premature. Many experts say that to reduce confirmed cases, the level should be raised to Level 3 and quarantine rules strictly enforced, so I don't understand why this measure was taken. I know self-employed people are struggling, but what if the number of confirmed cases suddenly increases? Then even Level 3 won't be enough."

On the 28th of last month, when the 'Chuseok Special Quarantine Period' began, commuters were walking at Sindorim Station in Guro-gu, Seoul. The government designated the two weeks from that day until October 11 as the 'Chuseok Special Quarantine Period' and strengthened the social distancing level 2 measures. First, all gatherings and events with more than 50 people indoors or 100 people outdoors are prohibited. Accordingly, village festivals, local festivals, folk games, and 60th birthday parties for Chuseok cannot proceed if they exceed these numbers. All sports events, including professional baseball, soccer, and ssireum, will be held without spectators.
Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Given this situation, there are also concerns that the highly praised 'K-quarantine' could collapse in an instant. Since the spread continues, easing social distancing is considered a hasty decision.

Earlier, South Korea was recognized as the world's top quarantine country due to its rapid response, including strengthening social distancing and self-quarantine measures, at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft (MS) and chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who has been actively involved in COVID-19 vaccine development, mentioned South Korea as a model country for COVID-19 quarantine. According to a video interview released by the British economic weekly The Economist on August 20 (local time), Gates praised South Korea for its rapid contact tracing system and active adherence to quarantine guidelines, emphasizing, "Thanks to this, South Korea has been able to maintain very low levels (in terms of confirmed cases and deaths)."

However, despite the situation not meeting the conditions for easing social distancing, the government pushed ahead with the adjustment to Level 1.

According to the social distancing stage criteria presented by the government in June, Level 1 applies when, over the past two weeks, the daily number of confirmed cases is below 50, the proportion of cases with unknown infection routes is below 5%, the status of cluster outbreaks under management is decreasing or suppressed, and the proportion of cases managed within the quarantine network is increasing or above 80%.

Including the Chuseok holiday, the average daily domestic cases over the past two weeks is 59.4. From the 29th of last month to the 11th of this month, the days when daily new cases fell below 50 were only two: the 29th (38 cases) and the 11th (46 cases). Although the recent trend of confirmed cases has generally remained stable in the double digits, it is still too early to ease social distancing.

Experts pointed out that the policy to ease social distancing to Level 1 contradicts K-quarantine. Professor Kim Woojoo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "Due to consecutive holidays such as Chuseok, National Foundation Day, and Hangul Day, accurate testing has not been conducted," adding, "If social distancing is eased before the incubation period has fully passed, confirmed cases could surge again. While I understand the government's difficulties, policies changing every one to two weeks cause confusion among citizens."

He continued, "The government is not even following its own guideline (easing social distancing when daily confirmed cases are below 50), so anxiety can only increase," and pointed out, "K-quarantine was excellent because of proactive quarantine. But now, testing rates are low, and social distancing levels are being lowered, showing actions that do not align with K-quarantine."

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