"Please Reduce Drinking Gatherings" Crowded 'No Mask' at Bars... Citizens' Outrage

Bar and restaurant operations end at 9 PM
Some office workers meet 'quickly' and eat 'more'
Crowded spaces with no masks raise COVID-19 spread concerns
Citizens urge "Please refrain during the COVID-19 situation"

At a restaurant in Seoul, some customers enjoyed a year-end drinking party. The photo was submitted and is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Han Seung-gon hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "We meet a little earlier to eat more quickly," "Since we don't have much time, we tend to eat a bit more intensely."

Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), restaurants and bars close by 9 p.m., so drinking enthusiasts are taking countermeasures by gathering earlier than usual to enjoy year-end drinking parties.

The problem is the concern over the spread of COVID-19. When people take off their masks to eat and drink while talking, respiratory droplets inevitably come out of their mouths, increasing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Citizens have expressed criticism toward those who try to hold year-end drinking parties no matter what, saying things like "I'm really fed up," "Please stop drinking," and "I can't understand it."

Kim, a man in his 40s working in sales who recently left work earlier than usual to have a drinking party with acquaintances, said, "Since bars close early, close colleagues decided to leave work a bit earlier and gather."

Kim lamented, "It's the year-end, so we have one or two drinks, but since the bars close at 9, we have no choice but to drink more quickly." He added, "Except when drinking, I am diligently wearing a mask."

Another office worker in his 40s, Park, is in a similar situation. Park recently attended a drinking party with hometown friends.

Park emphasized, "It feels a bit off to just let the year-end pass by; we met while strictly following quarantine rules." He explained, "We met around 1 p.m. on the weekend, went to a second round, and then each went home." He stressed, "Since we met early and ate, it doesn't really matter that bars close early."

Concerns are growing that simply gathering at bars during the COVID-19 spread phase could lead to the spread of COVID-19.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Taking off masks and crowding in small bars... Concerns over COVID-19 spread

However, it is not easy to follow quarantine rules at drinking parties. In June, a confirmed case A in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, was diagnosed with COVID-19 after dining for about 5 minutes at a restaurant with another confirmed patient who was over 6 meters away.

At that time, two air conditioners were operating on the restaurant ceiling, and respiratory droplets from the confirmed patient spread through the airflow, leading to infection. Considering asymptomatic cases, it is estimated that more people were infected through the restaurant environment.

The research team led by Professor Lee Joo-hyung from the Department of Preventive Medicine at Jeonbuk National University College of Medicine, who studied this case, explained, "When there is no wind, droplets settle within 1 to 2 meters, but when there is wind, long-distance transmission is possible." He added, "The wind from a fan can reach about 5 meters per second, so droplets can travel 5 meters in just one second." He said, "The case of A confirmed the possibility of long-distance transmission through airflow."

Summarizing this situation, in restaurants, it is considered that the minimum quarantine rules are followed only if people quietly eat and leave as soon as possible. Also, even if the air conditioner is turned off, if the environment allows droplets to spread through various airflows such as ventilation fans, anyone can be infected with COVID-19 as in the case of A.

Citizens unanimously pointed out that "having drinking gatherings is not appropriate" during the COVID-19 spread phase.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ "Hope the year-end is spent quietly..." Citizens express concerns over COVID-19 spread from some drinking party attendees

Ultimately, citizens commonly agree that year-end drinking parties can have a negative impact during the COVID-19 spread phase.

Kim, a 30-something office worker, pleaded, "Some people have drinking parties here and there because it's the year-end, but I hope they eat quickly and go home." He pointed out, "If COVID-19 spreads to their families or colleagues because of this, everyone will really suffer."

Another office worker, Lee (37), said, "I can't say anything about having drinking parties, but drinking to the level of 'drink up' like in the past is inappropriate in the current COVID-19 spread situation," criticizing the behavior.

As citizens worry, bars are all enclosed spaces, and close conversations in small spaces make them prone to COVID-19 transmission. Especially during business hours, disinfection or ventilation is difficult, so health authorities repeatedly urge compliance with quarantine rules.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that COVID-19 can spread more easily in enclosed spaces like bars. The center expressed concern, saying, "Dining indoors without reducing the number of seats and without maintaining at least 6 feet (182.88 cm) between tables poses the highest risk of COVID-19 spread."

They added, "COVID-19 mainly spreads when physically close to or in direct contact with an infected person. Respiratory droplets are generated when a COVID-19 patient coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes. Infection mainly occurs when exposed to respiratory droplets through close contact with a COVID-19 patient," they warned.

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