[Exclusive] Cheorwon-gun Faces Claims of Forcing Mask Distribution Ignoring Quarantine Rules... Residents Suffer Anxiety Over Infection Fears

Residents, "Despite Knowing About Cluster Infection, Forced Gathering to Distribute Masks"
Health Center, "We Believed Masks Were Distributed Following Quarantine Rules"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Amid strengthened social distancing measures nationwide due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, Cheorwon-gun in Gangwon-do distributed masks to residents, which led to even those without confirmed infections gathering in one place, causing concerns that healthy residents were put at risk of mass infection and anxiety.

The COVID-19 cluster infection in areas such as Geunnam-myeon, Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, occurred on the 25th.

On the very next day, the 26th, 11 confirmed cases were identified through mass testing of residents in the area.

According to Cheorwon-gun health authorities on the 27th, on the morning of the 26th, mass testing was conducted at the county health center’s screening clinic targeting residents of Mahyeon 2-ri, and in the afternoon, the same was done for residents of Mahyeon 1-ri, along with village disinfection and epidemiological investigations focusing on the movement paths of confirmed cases.

Previously, Cheorwon-gun distributed approximately 450,000 masks (10 masks per person) over two days starting from the 23rd to about 44,000 residents registered in Cheorwon-gun to support social distancing efforts to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Lee Hyun-jong, the mayor of Cheorwon-gun, emphasized through the media on the 23rd, "We are making every effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the community and protect residents’ health."

He also urged, "Wearing masks is the best preventive measure, so despite the inconvenience, please wear masks properly and follow quarantine guidelines for your own and your neighbors’ health."

However, contrary to the mayor’s policy, some residents claimed that "the mask distribution by the county actually increased concerns and anxiety about mass infection among residents."

The residents’ claims are as follows.

Although the county health authorities were aware on the night of the 21st that an unidentified individual in Geunnam-myeon had tested positive, mask distribution was forcibly carried out by health center staff starting on the 23rd.

Especially from the 23rd, a cluster infection due to a large number of confirmed cases occurred in the Cheorwon area.

At this time, residents gathered in one place to receive masks delivered to the village, and indiscriminate contact with confirmed cases occurred during this process.

In the case of Mahyeon-ri, Geunnam-myeon, due to the large number of contacts with six confirmed cases from a religious facility cluster infection on the 25th, it was impossible to trace movement paths separately, leading to mass testing of all village residents on the 26th.

Resident A said, "When distributing masks, it was so crowded that social distancing was impossible, and indiscriminate contact among people occurred," describing the situation at the time.

Another resident, B, expressed anxiety, saying, "It almost led to a mass infection. Even now, although we don’t know for sure, residents are forced to self-isolate for two weeks due to lingering unease."

There was another reason for residents’ frustration.

They questioned why Cheorwon-gun insisted on mask distribution during a period of high risk for cluster infections with many confirmed cases occurring in various places.

Resident C raised suspicions and dissatisfaction, saying, "The county government’s rush to promote itself has effectively pushed residents’ safety to the back burner. It’s already a worrying time, so I’m furious wondering what they were thinking to carry out such actions at this moment."

In response, the head of the infectious disease response team at Cheorwon-gun health center explained, "We should have confirmed it, but due to the continuous increase in confirmed cases, on-site verification was not possible. I’m not sure whether the distribution was done by visiting homes or by gathering residents, but I understand it was distributed in consultation with local village chiefs."

Regarding compliance with quarantine guidelines, he said, "When distributing items, we provide education on social distancing, preparation of disinfectants, and other quarantine measures."

Meanwhile, recently in the Cheorwon area, cluster infections linked to religious gatherings and small meetings have surged, increasing the cumulative number of confirmed cases to 180 as of the morning of the 27th.

At a time when public campaigns emphasize that "minimizing contact with outsiders is the best quarantine measure," concerns are being raised that Cheorwon-gun’s mask distribution could inadvertently expose residents to the risk of mass infection.

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