On the morning of the 14th, the last day of the Lunar New Year holiday, there is a munbaedo, which contains a prayer for overcoming the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), at Gwanghwamun in Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Senior Reporter Tae-Seok Wang
There are voices of concern from various places as the government gently opened the barrier of quarantine, which had been imprisoned for a while, leaving about 10 days left for the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccination. It is pointed out that even though the risk of infection is still there, it is impatient to promote’autonomous quarantine’.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Bangdaebon) on the 14th, the number of new confirmed cases as of 0 o’clock on the day was 326, recording 300 for two consecutive days. Compared to the end of last year, when it exceeded 1,000 people a day, it has decreased significantly, but considering that it has recently soared to 500 people again, it is still too early to be relieved.
However, the government decided to reduce social distancing for two weeks from the 15th to midnight on the 28th from the 2.5th stage in the metropolitan area to the 2nd stage and from the 2nd stage in the non-metropolitan area to 1.5th stage. It also allowed the reopening of 40,000 entertainment establishments. The ban on private meetings with more than 5 people was maintained, but meetings of immediate family members were allowed. The government has been unable to deal with the backlash of self-employed people. Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun warned at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters that day, “Societal awareness about the corona should not be loosened as the fire of the third epidemic is still alive.”
① Are immediate family members exceptionally allowed? = The ban on private gatherings with more than 5 people is considered the most effective quarantine countermeasure that suppressed the third pandemic. Therefore, there are negative opinions about allowing immediate family members to be exceptional. “There are still many confirmed cases in the metropolitan area, and there are already a lot of transmission to the local community,” said Eun-mi Chun, a professor of respiratory medicine at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. Pointed out. However, we cannot ignore the complaint that’I became a separated family through Corona 19′. Sohn Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division, Central Accident Recovery Headquarters (Jung Soo-bon), asked at the briefing, “Please use it as a simple place to ask your regards rather than meals, as it was allowed in consideration of fatigue.”
② More than 40,000 entertainment facilities that open the door = As the social distancing stage between the metropolitan area and the non-capital area has been downgraded at once, about 40,000 entertainment facilities will resume operations from the 15th, which is a huge burden on quarantine. Although operating hours are limited until 10 pm, these entertainment facilities are evenly equipped with three beats optimized for corona 19 infection, such as dense, closed, and close. In addition, it is a place where activities such as dancing and singing are performed in a complex manner. If even one confirmed case occurs, it is highly likely to lead to group infection.
③ Subsequent penetration of mutations from the UK = The threat of a mutant virus is still there. On this day, 6 confirmed mutations were added, and the number of confirmed mutations in Korea increased to 94. It was found that one of the additional confirmed mutations in the UK was a quarantine exemption who could not be filtered out at the airport. After entering the country, there are concerns about contact with a coworker and spreading to the local community. Mutations have higher infectious and fatal rates than conventional viruses. The possibility of a 4th pandemic caused by mutations still remains.
④ Group infection that raises your head again = The group infection that occurs in multi-use facilities is also increasing again. In the last two weeks (January 24 to February 6), there were a total of 61 cases of group infection. Although there were many religious gatherings such as churches, group infections are also continuing in the hospital, the last bastion of Corona 19. As of noon on this day, △ Seoul Soonchunhyang University Hospital 55 (cumulative 56) △ Hanyang University Hospital 3 (cumulative 101) △ Incheon Seo-gu medical institution-related 10 patients (cumulative 11) were confirmed. In addition, it is necessary to consider the aftermath of the Lunar New Year holidays in the past four days, when the nationwide shift occurred. In the last week (February 7-13), the infectious reproductive index in the metropolitan area has already exceeded 1 with 1.06. If it exceeds 1, it is judged that it is spreading.
⑤ Concerns about a surge in patients before vaccination = There are voices of concern about the rapid increase in the number of patients before vaccination. The government officially announced the’Corona 19 vaccination February-March implementation plan’ on the 15th and plans to start vaccination around the 26th. “If the risk of infection increases, the vaccination process becomes difficult and the vaccination rate decreases,” said Kim Moran, a professor at the National Cancer Center. “Even for the success of vaccination, the awareness of quarantine regulations must be emphasized again.” .
Jinju Kim reporter [email protected]
Yu Hwan-gu reporter [email protected]
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