Increased Incentives for Fully Vaccinated... Private Gatherings of 6 in Level 4 Areas and 8 for Chuseok (Comprehensive)

Current Social Distancing Extended for 4 Weeks
Incentives Expanded for Fully Vaccinated Individuals
Up to 6 People Allowed in Restaurants and Cafes at Level 4

Special Chuseok Quarantine Measures Implemented for 2 Weeks
Up to 8 Family Members Including 4 Fully Vaccinated Allowed

"If the Spread Stabilizes After Chuseok Holiday,
October Will See 'Quarantine Measures More Harmonized with Daily Life'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The current social distancing measures of Level 4 in the Seoul metropolitan area and Level 3 in non-metropolitan areas have been extended for four weeks until the 3rd of next month. However, considering the damage to small business owners and self-employed individuals, the operating hours of restaurants and cafes have been extended by one hour again, until 10 p.m. Incentives for those who have completed COVID-19 vaccination have also been reapplied, allowing up to six people, including vaccinated individuals, to gather in restaurants, cafes, and homes even in Level 4 areas.

Kwon Deok-cheol, First Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), announced at the regular COVID-19 briefing on the 3rd, "Although it is difficult to fully ease quarantine measures until the end of September, we are close to achieving the goal of 70% first-dose vaccination nationwide. Considering the fatigue from prolonged social distancing and decreased social acceptance, we will pursue limited easing of quarantine measures."

The quarantine authorities expect that from the 5th to around the 20th of this month, the daily number of new confirmed cases will peak at about 2,000 to 2,300 during the 4th wave and then decrease. From October, it is anticipated that the quarantine system can be gradually reorganized in a direction that harmonizes more with daily life. Deputy Head Kwon emphasized, "The better we get through this Chuseok holiday and stabilize the outbreak, the smoother the adjustment of quarantine strategies after October will be."

15th Extension of Social Distancing... 'Limited Easing' Considering Quarantine Fatigue

The current social distancing measures of Level 4 in the metropolitan area and Level 3 in non-metropolitan areas, along with the ban on private gatherings of five or more people in non-metropolitan areas, will be extended for four weeks. This decision was made considering the fatigue caused by frequent adjustments to social distancing and the predictability of the Chuseok holiday.

Additionally, an exception for private gatherings will be applied nationwide only to those who have completed vaccination. Previously, in Level 4 areas, private gatherings were allowed up to four people before 6 p.m. and up to two people after 6 p.m. In restaurants and cafes, private gatherings of up to four people including vaccinated individuals were allowed until 9 p.m. However, with this adjustment, vaccination incentives have been expanded, allowing gatherings of up to six people including vaccinated individuals in restaurants, cafes, and homes. Private gatherings involving first-dose recipients and unvaccinated individuals remain unchanged. The operating hours for dining in restaurants and cafes have also been extended by one hour to 10 p.m.

In areas at Level 3 or below, private gatherings of up to four people were allowed in all multi-use facilities and homes, but with this incentive expansion, gatherings of up to eight people including vaccinated individuals are now permitted. Especially in Level 3 areas, the same incentives apply to all multi-use facilities beyond restaurants and cafes.

Quarantine rules for weddings, which had raised complaints mainly from newlyweds, have also been partially eased. Currently, in Levels 3 to 4, up to 49 participants are allowed at wedding venues, but for weddings without meal service, the number is increased from 49 to a maximum of 99. However, if meals are served, the current limit of 49 remains. In Level 3 areas, separate application is possible if movement paths and spaces are divided, but in Level 4, the total number of wedding attendees is limited to a maximum of 99.

The authorities stated, "Future adjustments to social distancing will consider lowering levels depending on the scale of the outbreak, and if the outbreak scale is maintained, additional easing of quarantine measures centered on vaccination will be reviewed."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Eight Family Members Gather at Home During Chuseok Holiday... Some Visits Allowed at Nursing Hospitals

The government will implement special Chuseok quarantine measures for two weeks from the 13th to the 26th, along with adjustments to social distancing. It requested that people send greetings non-face-to-face as much as possible, recommended online ancestral rites, and asked to observe quarantine rules while holding small-scale ancestral rites at home.

However, during the one week from the 17th to the 23rd, including the Chuseok holiday, the private gathering standards of Level 3 will be applied to family gatherings at homes in Level 4 areas. This means that up to eight people including vaccinated individuals will be allowed to gather. First-dose recipients and unvaccinated individuals can gather up to four people. This easing does not apply to multi-use facilities.

Son Young-rae, Head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Accident Response Headquarters, said, "In non-metropolitan Level 3 areas, private gatherings of up to eight people including vaccinated individuals are allowed in all places for one month, so in fact, all private gatherings including family gatherings are permitted. For Level 4 areas in the metropolitan area, home gatherings including vaccinated individuals up to eight people are allowed only for the seven days of the holiday, and the principle is to allow this for family gatherings."

He added, "This includes not only immediate family but also all family members, neighbors, and relatives, which is realistically difficult to manage. Considering the special nature of the Chuseok holiday, the limit of eight people for gatherings is expanded, so it is recommended to gather in family units and keep the gatherings short."

To minimize infection risk, no additional railway tickets will be sold during this Chuseok holiday period, and only window seats will be sold. Highway tolls will be collected as usual, and passenger capacity on coastal ferries will be operated at 50% of the capacity. At railway stations, temperature checks will be conducted before boarding, passenger flow for boarding and alighting will be separated, and non-face-to-face ticket booking will be implemented. Eating at rest areas is also prohibited.

Regardless of the social distancing level, visits to nursing hospitals and facilities will be allowed during the two weeks of the Chuseok holiday. To disperse visitors, a reservation system will be introduced for visits. Contact visits are allowed if both the patient and visitor have completed vaccination; otherwise, non-contact visits are permitted. Regular PCR testing will be conducted for workers at nursing hospitals and facilities. In Level 4 areas, testing will be done once a week, and in Level 3 areas, once every one to two weeks.

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