Incheon Restaurants and Cafes to Implement 'Social Distancing Level 1.5' from 21st Considering Increase in Confirmed Cases

Facility Permit and Report Area Over 50㎡...Mandatory Compliance with Core Quarantine Rules
Full Implementation of Level 1.5 from the 23rd...Ganghwa and Ongjin Counties Maintain Level 1

On the 19th, when social distancing was raised to level 1.5 in the metropolitan area, Gwangju, and parts of Gangwon, Seoul's COVID-19 safety guards visited a fast-food restaurant in the city to inspect the management status of the electronic entry log and quarantine measures. 2020.11.19 / Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] From 0:00 on the 21st, social distancing level 1.5 measures will be implemented for restaurants and cafes in Incheon city.

Incheon City announced on the 20th that this decision was made due to the recent rapid increase in confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), mainly centered around restaurants.

Incheon had originally planned to fully implement social distancing level 1.5 from the 23rd, but for restaurants and cafes, the implementation was moved up by two days.

Accordingly, general restaurants, snack bars, bakeries, etc. with a facility permit or reported area of 50㎡ or more are required to comply with core quarantine rules starting from the 21st. However, Ganghwa and Ongjin counties, where no confirmed cases have been reported, will maintain the current level 1 for the time being.

The core quarantine rules include maintaining, preparing, and managing electronic entry logs (kept for 4 weeks before disposal), checking visitors' symptoms and prohibiting entry of symptomatic individuals, mandatory mask-wearing, checking employees' symptoms at least once a day and sending symptomatic employees home, and maintaining a distance of 2 meters (minimum 1 meter) between tables.

If maintaining distance between tables is difficult, one of the following must be followed: leaving one seat empty between seats, spacing tables apart, or installing partitions/screens between tables.

For buffet specialty restaurants, additional rules apply such as placing hand sanitizers at the store entrance and tables, using hand sanitizer or disposable gloves before and after using shared tongs, plates, and utensils, and maintaining a distance of 2 meters (minimum 1 meter) between users when waiting to serve food onto plates.

The city also recommends compliance with these rules for restaurants and cafes with a facility permit or reported area under 50㎡, which are not subject to mandatory core quarantine rules. Additionally, the Incheon branch of the Korea Foodservice Industry Association will form a voluntary hygiene monitoring team to check compliance with quarantine rules at restaurants and cafes in the city.

The number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases in Incheon recorded double digits on the 16th for the first time in about 20 days and has maintained double digits for four consecutive days.

An official from Incheon City said, "Considering the increasing trend of confirmed cases, the city is reviewing strengthening quarantine rules, and the foodservice industry group has conveyed their voluntary willingness to participate in (social distancing level 1.5) to the city," and urged, "We ask for active cooperation based on mature civic awareness."

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