Simplify distance in 4 steps… You can gather up to 8 people for immediate application.

On the 26th of last month, a distance between seats for social distancing is being implemented in a restaurant in Seoul. News 1

On the 5th, the government unveiled a draft of a new social distancing reorganization plan. The distance step, which was divided into five steps, is simplified into four steps. Multi-use facilities are classified into 1 to 3 groups according to the degree of risk, and differential quarantine rules are applied according to the stage. The main goal is to minimize collective prohibitions or restrictive measures that have been widely applied so far, and establish a quarantine management system based on autonomy and responsibility. However, the reorganization plan does not come into effect immediately. The quarantine authorities are expected to finalize the final draft by the end of March after collecting additional opinions through public hearings and subsequent public opinion polls.

These are the draft contents of a new social distancing reorganization plan released by the government on the 5th. [질병관리청]

According to the reorganization plan, the distance positioning will be changed from the previous 5 steps (1→1.5→2→2.5→3 steps) to 4 steps (1→2→3→4). After the first three-stage distance system was established in June of last year, the policy that was subdivided into five stages in November of the same year has been simplified again. It reflected the point that the message meant by step 0.5 was unclear and overly complex. The authority of local governments is also strengthened, so it is possible to adjust the level by itself from steps 1 to 3.

The criterion for dividing each stage is the average daily number of new confirmed cases per week. In the case of the first stage, it is applicable when there is less than 0.7 people per 100,000 people (weekly average). This is the case where there are less than 363 new confirmed cases per day by national standards, and less than 181 by population standards in the metropolitan area. In step 1, in addition to complying with basic quarantine rules, in the case of restaurants and cafes, a distance of 1m between tables is required. If you hold a meeting with 300 or more people, you must notify the local government in advance.

These are the draft contents of a new social distancing reorganization plan released by the government on the 5th. [질병관리청]

In earnest, the quarantine regulations are strengthened from the second stage, which means the local epidemic stage. This applies when the number of new confirmed cases per 100,000 population is 0.7 or more (weekly average or more than 5 days). This is when there are more than 363 people nationwide and more than 181 people in the metropolitan area. If the new reorganization proposal is applied immediately, the two-step rule applies. This is because the average daily number of confirmed patients during the last week (February 27 to March 5) was 371.9 nationwide and 295.4 patients in the metropolitan area. Even now, the ‘2nd stage’ standard is being applied, but the content is different. The ban on private gatherings with more than 5 people currently in force will be eased to ‘9 or more people’. It means that if the reorganization plan is appropriate, up to 8 people can meet. In addition, restrictions on restaurants, cafes, and indoor sports facilities, which are restricted until 10 pm, are also removed.

The 3rd stage, which is a regional epidemic, is upgraded when the number of new confirmed cases per 100,000 population is 1.5 or more (weekly average or 5 days or more) or when the Corona 19 designated intensive care unit in the area is more than 70% full. This is the case when there are more than 778 people nationwide and more than 389 people in the metropolitan area. When this stage comes, a ban on private gatherings of 5 or more people will be enforced. In addition, it is required to refrain from going out after 9 pm, and events or gatherings with 50 or more people are prohibited.

The final 4th stage is the pandemic stage, with a massive ban on going out. The upgrade standard is when more than 3 confirmed cases per 100,000 population (weekly average or 5 days or more) come out or when more than 70% of the nationwide Corona 19 designated intensive care units (764) are exhausted. There must be more than 1556 nationally and more than 778 confirmed cases in the metropolitan area. In this case, as in Step 3, the ban on private gatherings of 5 or more people is applied. However, after 6 p.m., the quarantine rules are strengthened by prohibiting private gatherings with more than three people. It is intended to prevent private meetings except for family or business meetings. In addition, assemblies and events are prohibited except for single-person demonstrations.

On the afternoon of the 25th of last month, the streets of restaurants in Myeong-dong, Seoul, are crowded. News 1

The reorganization plan also changes the classification of multi-use facilities. It is divided into 1~3 groups according to the level of risk. ▶Group 1 includes entertainment facilities, hold’em pubs, collages, ballrooms, door-to-door sales and direct sales promotion halls. Religious FacilitiesㆍCasinos ▶3 groups include movie theaters, performance halls, academies, wedding halls, funeral halls, beauty salons, recreation rooms, multi-rooms, reading rooms, study cafes, amusement parks, water parks, and large distribution facilities (over 300㎡).

However, unlike in the past, the ban on the collective ban to stop the multi-use facility business is expected to be minimized. Unlike the large-scale group infection that occurred in multiple facilities during the first and second outbreaks, small-scale infections have occurred due to contact with confirmed patients from the third outbreak. The prolonged period of restrictions on operation and ban on grouping is also reflecting the increasing economic difficulties for small business owners and self-employed, and the issue of equity issues between similar industries.

Therefore, in the first stage, there are no restrictions on operating hours or prohibition of grouping, and only a minimum distance of 1m or reduction of the number of users is applied to one per 6㎡ of facility area. From the second stage, the number of users is limited to 1 per 8㎡. If it is upgraded to the third stage, business restrictions begin at 21:00 in the case of Groups 1 and 2, but the ban on grouping will not apply. However, when going to the pandemic stage 4, all groups 1, 2 and 3 are subject to business restrictions at 21:00, and group bans are enforced in the case of clubs, hunting pots, and emotional pubs.

Sohn Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division, Central Accident Control Headquarters, said, “There is a discussion about whether the ban on private gatherings with three or more people in step 4 (after 6 pm) is excessive or whether the restriction on infection should be added after 11 pm in the second step. “There is,” he explained, “We plan to finalize the reorganization plan by the end of March after collecting opinions for the next one to two weeks.” In addition, he said, “The actual application (based on the reorganization plan) is that it can be converted only when all areas including the metropolitan area are eased to the first stage.”

Reporter Woorim Lee [email protected]