'4 People? 6 People?' or '10 AM? 12 PM?'... Government Adjusts High-Intensity Social Distancing Measures

Announcement on Social Distancing Adjustment Plan Scheduled for the Morning of the 3rd

On the morning of the 1st, citizens are waiting to be tested at the COVID-19 screening clinic at Songpa Public Health Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] As the number of new COVID-19 cases exceeded 5,000 for two consecutive days and the virus rapidly spreads mainly in the metropolitan area, the government is reportedly reconsidering strengthening restrictions on private gatherings and business hours of multi-use facilities, which were eased at the start of the 'gradual return to daily life (With Corona)' policy.

According to sources on the 2nd, intense discussions are underway within the government regarding the social distancing adjustment plan scheduled to be announced on the morning of the 3rd. There is growing support for implementing high-intensity social distancing measures, at least in the metropolitan area, for the time being.

Currently, regardless of vaccination status, private gathering limits are set at 10 people in the metropolitan area and 12 people in non-metropolitan areas. Options on the table include restricting these limits to 4, 6, or 8 people, or reinstating curfews for multi-use facilities?except entertainment venues?that had been lifted, setting closing times back to 10 PM or midnight. This essentially marks a return to the previous social distancing system just one month after With Corona began.

Also under discussion is the introduction of a vaccine pass (proof of vaccination or negative test) for restaurants and cafes, which was initially expected to be implemented last month but was withdrawn due to concerns over backlash from small business owners. Authorities have considered restricting unvaccinated individuals from entering restaurants and cafes as a last resort, given that people must remove masks to eat. However, with the spread intensifying and considering the nature of dining establishments, the likelihood of implementing this measure is increasing. To mitigate this, there is also consideration of allowing unvaccinated individuals to visit alone for 'honbap' (eating alone) or 'honkeo' (drinking alone) without gathering.

The final details of the social distancing adjustment plan will be decided at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the morning of the 3rd. Current discussions suggest that measures equivalent to or exceeding the existing Level 4 social distancing could be introduced. However, since the purpose of With Corona was largely to ease restrictions on self-employed and small business owners who had been heavily limited for quarantine purposes, weaker measures may be adopted to avoid their backlash.

Park Soo-hyun, Senior Secretary for Public Communication at the Blue House, indicated on KBS’s YouTube channel 'D-Live' that "rather than a sudden strengthening of social distancing, we will announce how to finely adjust the current measures," suggesting a flexible response.

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