Starting Tomorrow, Full Testing for Bathhouse Workers... Mandatory Electronic Entry Logs

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As COVID-19 cluster infections through public bathhouses have recently occurred one after another, the government has decided to conduct mass testing for all bathhouse workers nationwide.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced on the 21st during a regular briefing that a "Special Quarantine Measure for Bathhouse Businesses" will be implemented.

Accordingly, starting from the 22nd, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) mass testing will be conducted for all bathhouse workers nationwide, including body scrubbers, barbers, concession operators, and management staff. In regions with multiple confirmed cases, regular testing will be conducted biweekly.

Electronic entry logs and temperature checks will also be mandatory when entering bathhouses. Users exhibiting symptoms such as fever, cold, body aches, or chills will be prohibited from using the bathhouse.

The use of shared items such as mats and communal containers inside bathhouses will be banned. The existing prohibition on food consumption will also be maintained.

Bathhouse users and workers are prohibited from talking not only in the changing rooms but also inside the bathhouse, and the recommended usage time is limited to within one hour.

Facility managers of bathhouse businesses must explain the rules that users must follow on notice boards, including ▲ usage within one hour ▲ prohibition of entry if fever or chills occur ▲ allowable capacity based on area.

The issuance of new monthly bathhouse passes, tentatively called "Dal Bath," will also be prohibited.

Meanwhile, the government has been conducting special quarantine inspections on 135 public hygiene establishments, including 53 bathhouse businesses, in cooperation with local governments.

From the 10th to the 23rd of last month, local governments conducted emergency on-site inspections of 3,486 bathhouses nationwide, resulting in six fines, 300 on-site corrections, and 310 improvement recommendations as administrative measures.

Additionally, the government plans to inspect a total of 100 locations, including 40 in the metropolitan area and 60 outside the metropolitan area, through special on-site inspections of bathhouse businesses by the 26th of this month.

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