Chungnam Cheonan, Social Distancing at 'Level 2'... Considering Proximity to the Capital Area

[Asia Economy (Cheonan) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Social distancing in Cheonan, Chungnam Province, will be raised to level 2. Although the trend of confirmed cases in the region alone does not meet the criteria for level 2, this measure was proactively taken considering the geographical proximity to the metropolitan area and the rapid increase of confirmed cases there.

According to Chungnam Province and Cheonan City on the 1st, Cheonan will implement social distancing level 2 from 6 p.m. on the same day until midnight on the 7th. Previously, Cheonan had been operating at social distancing level 1.5 since the 5th of last month.

The step-up was made considering the increasing trend of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the metropolitan area. For example, the daily average number of confirmed cases in Cheonan decreased from 10.3 in the first week of last month to 4.9 in the fourth week. This number is below the government (Ministry of Health and Welfare)'s level 2 criteria (daily average of 14 cases).

However, the province and city explained that they proactively decided to raise to level 2 considering that Cheonan is adjacent to the metropolitan area and that some living areas overlap. The maintenance or adjustment of level 2 will be reviewed based on the COVID-19 spread trend around the 7th.

With the upgrade to level 2, a ban on gatherings will be imposed on five types of entertainment facilities in Cheonan: nightclubs, karaoke bars, emotional pubs, hunting pubs, and colatecs.

Also, restaurants will only be allowed takeout and delivery after 10 p.m. Cafes will be prohibited from seating customers and only takeout and delivery will be allowed during business hours.

Operating hours for singing practice rooms, indoor sports facilities, indoor standing concert halls, door-to-door sales, and promotional centers will also be limited to 10 p.m., and food consumption inside these venues will be prohibited.

All gatherings and events, including weddings and funerals, cannot exceed 100 people, and school attendance density will be limited to one-third as a principle, with adjustments up to two-thirds allowed.

In addition, religious activities such as worship services will be limited to 20% of total seating capacity, and separate gatherings and meals are prohibited.

A city official said, "After discussions with the public-private cooperation committee and representatives of towns and villages, we decided to raise social distancing to level 2," and added, "We ask citizens to recognize the changed quarantine rules and actively participate in following them."

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