[현장생중계]A briefing on the length of distance and easing of quarantine measures

[권덕철 / 중앙재난안전대책본부 1차장]

This is Kwon Deok-cheol, Minister of Health and Welfare.

To curb the third epidemic of Corona 19, the government has upgraded the metropolitan area to the 2.5 stage and the non-metropolitan area to stage 2 from December 8, and extended it to January 17, tomorrow. In particular, from January 4th, private gatherings with 5 people were banned nationwide. Due to efforts to keep distance, the 3rd outbreak has peaked at the end of December and is now in a clear decline.

Most countries abroad, which have faced a winter pandemic, are taking extreme measures, such as a total blockade, and nevertheless face the difficulty of spreading the epidemic. Korea is gradually intercepting the winter pandemic without raising the three-stage distance, which is expected to cause enormous damage to the common people’s economy. This is a great achievement, and it is only thanks to the efforts, participation and dedication of the people. As a quarantine officer, we sincerely thank you very much.

On the other hand, distancing is prolonged and several problems arise. It is becoming difficult for small business owners and small business owners who are banned from gatherings or restricted operations. The issue of equity between industries is also being raised. I am sorry and sorry for the difficulties that the operators and workers of the multi-use facility face. In addition, we are deeply grateful for the hard work you have actively cooperated with quarantine even in difficult situations.

The government heard on-site opinions from related associations and organizations, discussed several times between experts, local governments, and related ministries, and discussed ways to adjust social distancing to be applied from January 18th. Let me tell you about the results.

First, it was decided to extend the 2.5 steps for the metropolitan area and 2 steps for the non-metropolitan area for two more weeks.

It has stopped the spread of the third epidemic and turned it to a decline, but it is not yet a reliable situation. Last week, the average number of confirmed cases per day was 516, and the decline is not sufficient yet, and it has not yet reached the level 2 criteria. In addition, there is still a couple of months left in the winter when the virus is active, and there is a risk of re-proliferation if mitigation measures are taken. For the step down, we plan to evaluate and review the risk level when the average number of patients per day enters the level of 400, which is the 2nd standard.

The quarantine rules for each stage are maintained, such as banning the exercise price of 50 or more people in the metropolitan area and more than 100 people in the non-metropolitan area.

Second, the ban on private gatherings nationwide from 5 people will also be extended for two weeks.

Accordingly, reservations for more than 5 people or accompanying admission are also prohibited at restaurants and other multi-use facilities. In order to limit parties and travel, party rooms are prohibited from gathering, and accommodations such as hotels and resorts are also kept to be limited to two-thirds of the number of rooms.

This is because the current 3rd epidemic path of infection is at 40% of personal contacts, so it is necessary to keep reducing private meetings and travel.

In addition, we will continue to strengthen quarantine management for nursing hospitals, religious facilities, and detention centers, where group infections are concentrated from the end of December. We continue to maintain initial responses, such as expanding preemptive tests for nursing hospitals, dispatching emergency on-site response teams, and designating dedicated nursing hospitals. The staff at the calibration facility is also subjected to a PCR test once a week.

For religious activities, some face-to-face activities with low quarantine risk are allowed. The management of blind spots such as high-risk small groups is strengthened. For regular worship services, Mass, and Buddhist meetings, up to 10% of seats in the metropolitan area and 20% of seats in the non-metropolitan area are allowed face-to-face. In addition, all small groups and meals are prohibited, and revival meetings, Bible study meetings, district worship services, and visits are applicable. In addition, lodging and meal provision are also prohibited in prayer halls and training centers that were in the blind spot, and small-sized meals other than regular worship services are prohibited.

Third, for multi-use facilities, some quarantine measures are adjusted in consideration of the fact that group infection is decreasing and the difficulty of living is increasing.

Considering the situation where there is still a high risk of re-proliferation of the third outbreak, the adjustment of quarantine measures will be carefully expanded in stages.

This adjustment will take precedence for businesses in the metropolitan area that have been closed for a long period of time and for cafes where there is a lot of controversy over equity.

All banned gatherings in the metropolitan area except for entertainment facilities are lifted. This includes indoor sports facilities, academies, singing practice rooms, standing performance halls, and door-to-door sales. All of these facilities had a number of outbreaks in November, when the third epidemic began, and they are also high risk facilities for quarantine. Therefore, even if the group ban is lifted, strict quarantine rules are observed and operation is allowed. First of all, the density is reduced by limiting the number of people to use per 8 square meters of reported area. The number of people available for each facility must be posted on the door, etc.

In high-risk door-to-door sales, the number of users is limited to one per 16 square meters. When using the facility, a distance of 2 m and at least 1 m from each other must be observed.

The core rules of Step 2, such as wearing a mask at all times and prohibiting food intake, must be observed. In addition, the ban on meetings of more than 5 people applies to all multi-use facilities, so admission or meetings with 5 people or more are also prohibited at these facilities.

In order to lower the risk by reflecting the characteristics of each detailed facility, we have designed more elaborate quarantine rules. Please refer to the press release for this.

For example, the singing practice center can be used after 30 minutes of disinfection after use, and violent group movements among indoor sports facilities are prohibited. Five types of entertainment facilities such as clubs and pubs and Hold’em Pubs are banned from gathering from the second stage. Considering the close contact of unspecified people, the current gathering is prohibited.

Some adjustments are made to the quarantine measures for restricted facilities that were applied nationwide. Cafés across the country have only allowed packaging and delivery, but now, in-store eating is allowed the same as restaurants. However, in order to reduce the risk of quarantine, it is mandatory to use only 50% of the seats with one table or seat apart, or to leave a distance of 1m between tables or install partitions. If users do not consume food, please be sure to wear a mask. Restaurants are currently applying the same rules. Considering the difficulty of distinguishing between cafes and restaurants, common quarantine rules are applied.

Along with this, the ban on gatherings at subsidiary facilities at ski resorts nationwide will be lifted, and the same quarantine rules will be applied to restaurants and cafes within the facility. The locker room and game room are limited to one person per 8 square meters of facility area, and the operation will be stopped after 9 PM and the shuttle bus will continue to operate.

Fourth, the suspension of operations after 21:00, that is, 9 p.m., will continue.

Currently, 14 types of facilities in the metropolitan area and 6 types of facilities in the non-metropolitan area are currently being restricted after 21:00 according to the rules of the distance stage, and there were opinions that some of this should be mitigated. After 21:00, if it is extended to the time when secondary activities increase after eating, social risk perception is weakened and the amount of meeting and movement is likely to increase.

It was also considered that the ban on meetings of more than 5 people and the suspension of operation at 21:00 had a synergistic effect, leading to a decrease in patients. Accordingly, this time, we decided to maintain two weeks of treatment and evaluate the epidemic situation two weeks later and discuss again.

Lastly, the operation of indoor and outdoor sports facilities of the same type as in this adjustment, national and public indoor and outdoor sports facilities, and libraries that have been arbitrarily suspended by the local government regardless of the stage of distancing will also resume operation.

Facilities within the apartment complex will also resume operation in compliance with the quarantine rules. Although some multiple facilities have been allowed to operate, the government believes that the current situation is not at a level that can be reassured, and recognizes that the easing of quarantine measures is being carried out carefully.

For many industries excluded from this adjustment, we will stabilize the epidemic situation and gradually ease quarantine measures. We ask for your patience a little more and cooperate with us so that the fashion can shrink faster.

Operators, workers, and users of facilities whose operations are resumed or expanded are requested to strictly follow the quarantine rules to prevent group infections.

The government will also strengthen inspections and apply strict penalties for violations of regulations. In addition, measures to strengthen quarantine measures will be reviewed for facilities where multiple violations occur repeatedly or where group infection occurs again frequently.

Along with this, we will expand communication with organizations and associations by industry, listen to opinions from the field, and adjust quarantine regulations reasonably. We will also explain special quarantine measures for the Lunar New Year holidays scheduled for a month later.

The government plans to designate and manage a two-week Lunar New Year special quarantine period from February 1 to 14, taking into account the February Lunar New Year holiday, when many citizens are expected to move around the country and family gatherings. First of all, I ask the people to refrain from visiting their hometown, relatives, and traveling this New Year.

It is unlikely that the third epidemic will significantly decrease until the Lunar New Year holiday, so if you make a mistake, your parents, family, friends, and neighbors may be at risk. Now is the time to be together with heart rather than meeting. In order to reduce the amount of travel during the holiday season, railroads will sell only window seats and consider paying expressway tolls during the Lunar New Year holiday period like last Chuseok.

The rest area plans to operate a congestion information system to prevent close eating and to ban indoor eating.
It is recommended that you take your turn safely through video calls, etc. so that it can be a holiday that prioritizes quarantine.

The online grave service will be available from January 18th. In the case of Bongan facilities, a reservation system is operated in advance for each time slot for 5 weeks before and after the holidays. In addition, the ceremonial room and the family rest room will be closed. Palaces and museums will also have an advance reservation system and will limit the number of people to 30% of the capacity.

We will thoroughly prepare for quarantine and medical services during the holiday season. The 1339 Call Center maintains 24-hour public consultation and guidance, and the government operates an emergency response system. We will establish diagnostic tests and treatment systems at screening clinics and hospitals dedicated to infectious diseases, and operate emergency treatment systems such as emergency rooms without disruption. In order to block foreign inflows even during the holiday season, we will provide special immigration procedures and separate transportation for foreign immigrants, and maintain 24-hour monitoring and emergency response systems for self-quarantine.

Just as we spent the holiday without the spread of Corona 19 through the Chuseok special quarantine measures last year, we ask that everyone join us so that this Lunar New Year holiday can be a holiday of heart together rather than meeting.

Now, the clue of overcoming Corona 19 is starting to appear. If you are able to overcome the current crisis, you can take advantage of vaccinations and treatments for more effective quarantine response. You can recover your precious daily life step by step. If we maintain our current efforts until mid-February, when the special quarantine measures for the Lunar New Year end, we can certainly overcome the third epidemic and enter a stable response phase. Until then, I ask for a little more strength together.

We ask that you be patient with meetings and appointments with people and strictly follow the quarantine rules in your life, such as wearing a mask and keeping distance. For the sake of each other’s health and safety, we ask that you share your nostalgia by phone and postpone the meeting for a while.

The government will always do its best to respond to quarantine with tension, so that the hard work of the people will come to fruition. Thank you.