Unstoppable Spread... Is Social Distancing Ineffective?

Local Infections Back to 500s After Six Days
10th Day of Level 2 Raise Expected by Late This Week
If Trend Continues, 'Uselessness' Debate May Arise

On the morning of the 3rd, citizens visiting the screening clinic at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul are undergoing COVID-19 testing.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The number of domestic COVID-19 cases from community transmission has exceeded 500 in six days, showing no signs of slowing down. Although social distancing levels have been raised and mobility has decreased, new cases have not declined. This is interpreted as the virus spreading again within groups such as families, workplaces, schools, and academies, where existing social distancing measures are less effective.

According to the patient count announced by the Central Disease Control Headquarters as of midnight on the 3rd, there are 516 cases presumed to be from domestic community transmission and 24 cases imported from overseas. The number of community transmission cases has returned to the 500 range since the 27th of last month, after briefly dropping to the low 400s at the end of last month.

In particular, the metropolitan area reported 419 confirmed cases, accounting for 81% of domestic cases. Seoul alone recorded 260 cases (excluding 2 imported cases), the highest ever. The health authorities consider new domestic community transmission cases as the most important indicator when assessing COVID-19 risk. Despite raising social distancing levels several times since mid to late last month and strengthening measures, the effect has not been seen.

The government has explained that the effects of raising social distancing levels typically appear about ten days to two weeks later. During the first wave (Shincheonji Church) and the second wave in August-September (metropolitan area churches and rallies), a noticeable decline in new cases occurred after this period. However, this is not the case in the current third wave. It has been about fifteen days since the metropolitan area was raised to level 1.5 on the 19th of last month, but daily cases remain in the 400 to 500 range.

On the morning of the 3rd, when the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test was held, a separate examination room was prepared at Gyeongbok High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul, for examinees showing suspicious symptoms such as a fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius or higher or coughing.

Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), this year's test, delayed by two weeks, was simultaneously conducted at 1,383 test sites in 86 test districts nationwide, with a record low of 493,433 examinees. 2020.12.3

Later this week marks ten days since the metropolitan area was raised to level 2, and if this trend continues, arguments about the 'ineffectiveness' of social distancing may arise. Although mobility and outdoor activities have decreased due to social distancing measures, the virus spread has not been controlled.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, nationwide mobility over the past weekend (November 28-29) was 57.86 million trips, down 12% from the previous weekend and about 22% from two weeks ago. While the stepwise measures target multi-use facilities, recent cluster infections have occurred in blind spots such as families and workplaces, which is believed to reduce the effectiveness compared to before.

Within the government, the need to further raise social distancing levels has been openly discussed, but with the additional measures introduced on the 1st under the banner of 'precision quarantine' and the current ineffectiveness of social distancing, concerns have deepened. Kang Do-tae, the first chief coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said on the day, "The number of confirmed cases remains above 500," adding, "Chain infections in daily life continue, and the number of patients with unknown infection routes and severe cases is increasing, making the situation more difficult."

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