Small Business Owners and Experts Alike Dissatisfied... Government's Deliberation on 'Slight' Easing of Quarantine Guidelines

Partial Easing of Quarantine Guidelines Despite Over 100,000 Confirmed Cases
Self-Employed, Small Business Owners, and Medical Experts All Express Dissatisfaction
Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom: "Spread Is Severe, but We Cannot Ignore the Pain of Social Distancing"
"Minimum Adjustments Within the Capacity of Quarantine and Medical Systems"

On the 18th, when the number of new confirmed cases approached 110,000 in a single day for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak, the number of confirmed cases was displayed on the monitor in the situation room of Songpa District Office in Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] As the number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea exceeded 100,000, the government has decided to partially ease quarantine guidelines. While it is impossible to recklessly lift social distancing measures amid the explosive increase in cases, the economic hardships faced by self-employed individuals and small business owners cannot be ignored. However, both self-employed workers and medical experts have expressed dissatisfaction with these measures, calling them 'insufficient,' indicating that the government's dilemma is likely to deepen.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on the 18th, the number of new COVID-19 cases reached 109,831, surpassing 100,000 for the first time in history and approaching the 110,000 mark. This figure is about twice the number recorded a week earlier on the 11th (53,920), confirming the ongoing 'doubling' phenomenon where the number of cases doubles over a certain period.

The number of confirmed cases is expected to continue rising. According to infection trend modeling estimated by the National Institute for Mathematical Sciences, the peak of this wave is projected to be later and higher than previous forecasts, with daily cases potentially reaching up to 270,000 by mid-March.

The number of critically ill patients stood at 385 as of this date, maintaining the high 300s for two consecutive days. This marks a gradual increase from the 200s at the end of last month. If the number of confirmed cases continues to surge rapidly, it will be difficult to predict how much the number of critically ill patients will increase.

Meanwhile, the government decided to partially ease quarantine guidelines on this day. According to the new guidelines, which will be applied for three weeks starting on the 21st, operating hours for restaurants and cafes will be extended by one hour, from 9 PM to 10 PM. The maximum number of private gatherings remains at six.

Members of small business organizations, including the COVID-19 Damage Solidarity Group, are holding a press conference on the 18th in front of the Seoul Government Complex, urging the resolution of small business debts caused by COVID-19 damage. / Photo by Yonhap News

The problem is that both small business owners and medical experts have expressed dissatisfaction with this measure.

The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KSMB) immediately issued a statement, saying, "Through the Recovery Committee, we have continuously urged the removal of business restrictions. We have emphasized that the revised plan should present a roadmap for phased recovery by extending operating hours at least until midnight." They added, "Simply extending operating hours by one hour while maintaining restrictions leaves small business owners and self-employed deeply disappointed and frustrated."

They continued, "The current social distancing policy, which shifts the responsibility of quarantine onto small business owners, has become meaningless," and urged, "The current harsh policy should be immediately halted."

Some self-employed groups, such as the 'COVID-19 Victimized Self-Employed Solidarity,' held a large rally in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the 15th, demanding the withdrawal of quarantine guidelines. On that day, they conducted a collective head-shaving ceremony, calling for the removal of operating hour restrictions and government compensation for losses suffered by self-employed individuals and small business owners. They also declared that if their demands are not met, starting from the 21st when the revised guidelines take effect, their members will engage in '24-hour operations,' ignoring the operating hour restrictions.

Professor Lee Jae-gap, Department of Infectious Diseases, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, who served as an advisory member of the COVID-19 Daily Recovery Support Committee and stepped down from the position on the 16th / Photo by Yonhap News

Opposition to the revised quarantine guidelines is not limited to small business owners and the self-employed. The medical community has voiced concerns, stating that "easing quarantine measures under the current circumstances is excessively risky."

Professor Lee Jae-gap, an infectious disease specialist at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital and a former advisor to the COVID-19 Recovery Support Committee, resigned from his position on the 16th.

In an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 18th, he warned, "(The government's) message of easing is actually a big problem," adding, "If the Omicron wave becomes too large, the number of severe cases will inevitably rise accordingly. Since the situation at the peak is unpredictable, it has become impossible to forecast how many critically ill patients there will be."

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 response held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 18th. / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum held a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at the Government Seoul Office on the same day, stating, "This week, the spread of Omicron has intensified, and key quarantine indicators such as the number of critically ill patients and deaths, as well as ICU bed occupancy rates, which had shown stable trends, are gradually changing."

He added, "We cannot ignore the reality that small business owners and the self-employed have been suffering severe hardships due to social distancing measures that have lasted for nine weeks."

Prime Minister Kim explained, "We are applying the new quarantine guidelines for about three weeks to provide some relief to people's livelihoods as soon as possible and to allow sufficient time to observe the epidemic situation. Although the government has decided to maintain the current social distancing framework until the Omicron wave, which is on the rise, passes its peak and begins to decline, it judged that minimal adjustments are inevitable within the capacity of the revised quarantine and medical system, considering the deepening difficulties in the livelihood economy."

He continued, "Once it is confirmed that the spread has passed its peak and is declining, we will proceed with full social distancing easing to return to normal life. We believe the difficult fight against COVID-19 is entering its final stage, and we earnestly ask the public to continue to unite and support us a little longer."

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