Seoul Agro-Fisheries & Food Corporation Implements Special COVID-19 Quarantine Measures for Lunar New Year Holiday

Systematic COVID-19 Response Including Operation of Garak Market Emergency Response Headquarters
Active Measures Such as Operation of Screening Clinics, PCR Preemptive Testing, and Allowing Only Negative Confirmed Participants in Transactions

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Agro-Fisheries & Food Corporation announced on the 20th that it is implementing special COVID-19 prevention measures at the Garak-dong Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market in Seoul ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

The corporation has established the Garak Market COVID-19 Emergency Response Headquarters to share current COVID-19 issues and make important decisions, creating a joint response system among related organizations. Additionally, a screening clinic has been set up within Garak Market to conduct PCR preemptive tests twice a week before trading begins, allowing only those who test negative to participate in transactions. Only individuals wearing identification marks (badges, necklaces, etc.) confirming a negative result are permitted to trade, and especially, symptomatic persons are strictly prohibited from entering after entry pass verification before auctions.

Furthermore, the corporation conducts disinfection at least once daily in all facilities including auction halls, stores, restrooms, and elevators. Immediate disinfection is carried out for stores and logistics equipment upon confirmation of a positive case. To raise awareness about COVID-19, banners are displayed throughout Garak Market and announcements are broadcast 24 times a day.

Moreover, aiming to achieve a 70% third-dose vaccination rate among distribution workers at Garak Market before the Lunar New Year, the corporation is continuously promoting and educating in cooperation with distribution organizations. A group chat room involving the corporation and distributors has been established, and meetings including the corporation and COVID-19 responsible wholesale market corporations are held regularly to manage COVID-19 tasks more systematically.

In addition, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the corporation is improving ventilation facilities in intermediate wholesaler stores, closing indoor smoking booths within the market, creating three outdoor smoking areas, providing disinfectants and other prevention supplies, distributing disinfectants by corporation and association, and conducting usage training, all to create a safe environment at Garak Market.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the corporation, wholesale market corporations, and distribution organizations, the average daily number of confirmed cases among Garak Market distribution workers has remained steady at a low level, showing a clear decreasing trend. However, the corporation plans to maintain heightened vigilance and strengthen prevention measures ahead of the Lunar New Year peak season.

As an additional measure for the Lunar New Year, the corporation plans to form inspection teams composed of corporation staff and distributors to monitor mask-wearing, social distancing during auctions, smoking, and tasting during auctions both day and night. During this period, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the corporation will enforce COVID-19 prevention guidelines such as mask-wearing and impose fines on violators.

After the Lunar New Year holiday, only those who test negative in PCR tests conducted on January 1-2 upon return will be allowed to participate in trading. In preparation for COVID-19 situations, non-face-to-face transactions such as fixed-price and private sales will be actively utilized in case of some confirmed cases. Especially for fruits, which have high trading volumes during the Lunar New Year, daily disinfection will be conducted in auction halls, stores, loading union rest areas, restrooms, and restaurants, and an emergency disinfection standby team will be operated for rapid response in case of incidents.

Lee Ni-se, Head of the Distribution Division, explained, "During the special COVID-19 prevention period for the Lunar New Year, we will do our best to manage COVID-19 prevention and make every effort to ensure there are no disruptions in the supply of agricultural and marine products."

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