Hamyang-gun Raises Social Distancing to Level 4... Proactive Diagnostic Testing for All Residents Implemented

Hamyang County Office building exterior view

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Hamyang-gun, Gyeongnam Province, is raising the social distancing level to the highest level, Level 4, due to the continuous occurrence of COVID-19 infections.

The county announced on the 30th that from 0:00 on the 31st until 24:00 on August 8, social distancing will be elevated to Level 4, and proactive diagnostic testing will be conducted for all residents.

County Governor Seo Chun-soo explained, “Although social distancing was strengthened, 30 people were confirmed positive in the past week, exceeding the government’s Level 4 criteria (more than 20 cases per week per 100,000 population under 100,000). Confirmed cases continue to increase due to contact among family and acquaintances, making it inevitable to raise to Level 4.”

Under the Level 4 social distancing application, special quarantine rules prohibit private gatherings of three or more people 24 hours a day, recommend COVID PCR testing for all residents, and restrict operating hours of entertainment facilities, karaoke rooms, and bathhouses from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day.

Events, assemblies, wedding halls, and funeral halls are prohibited from gatherings of 50 or more people. Restaurants and cafes are only allowed takeout and delivery from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day, and religious facilities are only permitted non-face-to-face worship, mass, and Buddhist ceremonies.

The county plans to strongly respond through joint inspections against illegal business operations of prohibited establishments along with publicizing the Level 4 elevation to residents.

Additionally, to minimize residents’ anxiety and distrust and prevent further spread within the region, the county will conduct mass testing of all residents.

To this end, separate from the screening clinic at Hamyang County Health Center, a temporary screening clinic was set up at Hamyang-eup Administrative Welfare Center starting the afternoon of the 30th to prioritize diagnostic testing for residents of Hamyang-eup. This is a mass test for unvaccinated individuals, but vaccinated people can also get tested if they wish.

To ensure early detection of confirmed cases and rapid compliance following the Level 4 elevation, inspections of multi-use facilities will be strengthened through a department responsibility system (27 departments, 133 teams, 264 personnel), and “Safe Call” installations will be promoted at all businesses in the county to enhance convenience for workers and visitors and improve quarantine efficiency.

Also, with the summer vacation season approaching, all employees are prohibited from taking leave for one week, and unnecessary outings and gatherings are discouraged.

Governor Seo said, “If we do not strengthen quarantine measures now, a more painful and difficult situation may come in the future. We plan to mobilize all administrative power to respond to prevent further spread, so we earnestly ask for active participation in quarantine rules such as the ban on private gatherings of three or more people to get out of this crisis.”

He added, “Since this is a serious situation with rapidly spreading infections, I hope all residents actively participate in the mass testing.”

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