Cafes and Restaurants to Stay Open Until 11 PM Starting Tomorrow... "Full Easing Expected with Next Social Distancing Adjustment"

Mild Social Distancing Measures Implemented from the 5th to the 20th
Social Distancing Relaxation Estimated to Impact Omicron Spread by 10%
Government to Seriously Consider Further Relaxation in Next Social Distancing Adjustment

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] From the 5th to the 20th, the number of private gatherings will remain at 6 people, but the operating hours of restaurants and cafes will be extended by one hour to 11 PM. The government plans to fully implement social distancing adjustments after evaluating the impact of this adjustment, once the peak has passed and the decline phase begins, and the healthcare system capacity is stably maintained.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced on the 4th the 'Social Distancing Adjustment Plan' based on these details. This measure responds to the accumulating difficulties in the livelihood economy, changes in quarantine strategies due to the characteristics of Omicron, the quarantine situation, and feedback from various sectors.

Lee Ki-il, the 1st Controller of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a regular briefing, "We judged that fully easing or lifting social distancing measures carries risks, so we adjusted them to the minimum extent," adding, "From the next social distancing adjustment, we will actively consider easing measures."

He also projected that this easing of social distancing measures would not significantly affect the overall spread of the epidemic. The controller explained, "According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's investigation, even if social distancing measures are eased like this, the easing factor is expected to affect the epidemic by less than 10%. A 10% level is manageable within the current medical response system."

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Accident Response Headquarters, added, "According to the analysis, this easing of social distancing measures will slightly accelerate the timing of reaching the epidemic peak, and the scale of confirmed cases at the peak will increase by about 10% or less." He continued, "Severe and critical patients are secondarily linked to the scale of confirmed cases, so this will also rise slightly faster. If social distancing measures were not eased, the increase in severe and critical patients would occur somewhat later."

However, Son said, "We believe that the increase in severe patients due to this level of increase is manageable within the current healthcare system, so it is difficult to specify how many severe patients will actually result in death cases due to this measure," adding, "Typically, deaths surge when the healthcare system collapses, so whether the healthcare system can handle the situation is most important."

Events and Gatherings Allowed up to 299 People Regardless of Vaccination Status

Accordingly, from tomorrow until the 20th, operating hours for multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues, academies, and PC rooms will be extended by one hour from 10 PM to 11 PM.

Specifically, operating hours will be extended for Group 1 entertainment facilities (entertainment bars, karaoke bars, clubs (nightclubs), emotional bars, hunting pubs, colatecs and dance halls), Group 2 including restaurants, cafes, singing practice rooms, bathhouses, indoor sports facilities, and Group 3 and others such as lifelong vocational education academies, PC rooms, arcades, multi-rooms, casinos, party rooms, massage and therapy centers, and movie theaters and performance halls. For academies, only lifelong vocational education academies will have the operating hour restriction extended to 11 PM. For movie theaters and performance halls, the start time for screenings and performances is allowed until 11 PM, but the end time must not exceed 1 AM the following day.

The maximum number of private gathering participants remains at 6 nationwide regardless of vaccination status, as currently. However, exceptions apply for cohabiting family members or cases requiring care such as children, elderly, and disabled persons.

With the lifting of the vaccine pass, event and gathering regulations have also been partially eased. Previously, gatherings under 50 people could participate regardless of vaccination status, but now events can be held with up to 299 people regardless of vaccination status. For non-regular venues, sports competitions, and festivals with 300 or more people, approval from relevant ministries is still required as before. Essential corporate management activities such as regular shareholders' meetings or events subject to separate rules like exhibitions and fairs will have no capacity limits as long as basic quarantine rules are followed.

For religious facilities, regular religious activities can be held at up to 70% of capacity regardless of vaccination status, and religious events can be held with up to 299 people according to the standards for gatherings and events.

The quarantine authorities emphasized, "Due to Omicron's high transmissibility, the importance of practicing daily quarantine measures is greater than ever," and urged, "Please strictly adhere to basic quarantine rules such as maintaining a 1-meter distance between people, wearing masks, and regular ventilation and disinfection, in addition to quarantine rules for multi-use facilities."

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