Suncheon City Implements Enhanced Social Distancing Level 1.5 to Prevent COVID-19 Spread

More Severe Than the First Crisis, Sequential Occurrence of Cluster Infections
Concerns Over Increasing Undetected Transmission Routes

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon City has strengthened social distancing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

On the 11th, Suncheon City took the lead in upgrading social distancing level 1.5 to the "Enhanced Social Distancing Level 1.5," which will be implemented starting tomorrow.

Accordingly, multi-use facilities such as key management facilities and general management facilities will maintain level 1.5, but some industries will be subject to seat vacancy, entry restrictions, and bans on food consumption.

Public and national facilities will limit usage to 30%, and gatherings or events of 100 or more people are prohibited.

Religious facilities will maintain the current level 1.5 but strictly prohibit meal provision and small group meetings.

Suncheon Office of Education will also strengthen partial face-to-face classes at each school from a standard of 900 people to 300 people in accordance with the enhanced level 1.5.

Mayor Heo Seok of Suncheon stated in a statement on the 17th, "The pattern of COVID-19 transmission is very serious, with many cases where the infection route is unknown, and cluster infections are occurring sequentially throughout all aspects of daily life, not limited to specific facilities."

He added, "During the first crisis, rapid tracing and preemptive self-quarantine measures for close contacts helped block widespread regional transmission," but the current situation is "Nth infections spreading rapidly in daily life through workplaces, gatherings, and among employees, acquaintances, and families in nearby cities and metropolitan living areas."

"As time passes, conditions to block the spread of infection become unfavorable," he said, adding that the public-private joint countermeasure committee has a sense of urgency to control the current spread, leading to the implementation of enhanced social distancing level 1.5.

Jeollanam-do and three cities in the eastern region of Jeonnam will jointly respond to epidemiological investigations to identify infection routes, quickly trace movements and contacts, and focus all efforts on blocking infection sources.

Mayor Heo Seok said, "To coordinate with Gwangyang City, which shares a common living area, I will meet with Mayor Jeong Hyun-bok of Gwangyang City to discuss a joint response system."

He also urged, "Until COVID-19 treatments and vaccines are available, the most effective vaccine to prevent crisis situations is the practice of social distancing," and asked for active participation in complying with the enhanced social distancing level 1.5 quarantine rules.

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