Authorities: "Uniform Elevation of Quarantine Measures Difficult for Local Residents to Accept and Inefficient"

A citizen is getting tested at a temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza on the 19th, where 1,252 new COVID-19 cases were reported, marking the 13th consecutive day with over 1,000 cases since the 4th wave./Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] On the 19th, the number of new COVID-19 cases reached 1,252, marking the highest Monday count since the domestic outbreak of COVID-19, as the spread of the '4th wave' continues. In particular, concerns are growing over the imbalance in quarantine measures, as cases outside the metropolitan area account for one-third of the total confirmed cases. While there are calls for a uniform upgrade of quarantine levels to prevent the 'balloon effect,' the quarantine authorities oppose this, citing inefficiency and low regional acceptance.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained during a press briefing that "Currently, the social distancing system itself is left to local governments to decide, but only restrictions on private gatherings are being supplemented to have a nationwide consensus." He added, "Given the large regional disparities, regulations such as uniformly closing all business facilities in every region are likely to be inefficient."

As of midnight on the same day, the number of new COVID-19 cases outside the metropolitan area was 397, slightly down from 443 the previous day. However, this accounts for 32.9% of the total 1,208 locally transmitted cases, the highest proportion since the start of the '4th wave.' The spread, initially concentrated in the metropolitan area, is expanding to non-metropolitan regions due to the 'balloon effect' caused by unbalanced quarantine measures, and concerns about interregional movement are increasing as the vacation season approaches.

However, the quarantine authorities are drawing a line against a uniform upgrade of social distancing levels. Son added, "(A uniform upgrade of social distancing levels) faces considerable opposition from regional sentiments." He explained, "When consulting with local governments, there are many cases where business operations in multi-use facilities are prohibited even in areas with zero confirmed cases," and "this is not accepted by local residents."

He refrained from commenting on whether the metropolitan area's Level 4 social distancing, set to end on the 25th, will be extended. Son explained, "Adjusting social distancing does not produce immediate effects; it takes about one week (7 days) to 10 days for effects to appear," and "This week is a crucial period in terms of effectiveness compared to last week." He added, "We analyze the situation and review and strengthen responses almost daily," and said, "It is difficult to inform when the decision (on extension) will be finalized."

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