The government raises its distance today by three steps… Conditions are already met

The busy streets of Myeongdong [사진 = 연합뉴스]

With the momentum of the’third pandemic’ of the new coronavirus infection in Korea (Corona 19), the momentum of the’third pandemic’ is seldom declining, and the government is finalizing additional measures, including whether to raise social distancing in the third stage today (2nd).

Currently, the 2.5-step extension is weighing on, but the number of confirmed cases increased to 1000 the previous day, leaving room for a 3-step upgrade. The current distancing phase (2.5 phases in the metropolitan area, 2 phases in the non-metropolitan area) and’special quarantine measures for the year-end and New Year’ will end on the 3rd.

The conditions for the 3rd stage upgrade have already been met. The three-stage upgrade is issued when the average number of confirmed cases in Korea per day for a week is 800-1000 or the number of new cases increases more than twice as compared to the previous day. In the last week from December 26 to January 1 of last year, the number of new confirmed cases was 1132 → 970 → 807 → 1045 → 1050 → 967 → 1029.

◆ Possibility of maintaining level 2.5↑… I can’t ignore the economic blow

The government today announces a plan to adjust the stage of’social distancing’ to be applied after the 4th. Although the 3rd stage requirement has already been satisfied, it is highly likely that the current distancing stage will be maintained.

This is because there are more than 1,000 confirmed cases, but the government defines it as a’congestion period’ and judges that the effect of quarantine measures will appear.

At a briefing on the 31st of last month, Son Young-rae, head of the Strategic Planning Division, said, “The distance effect is slow, but it is appearing. It is believed that the trend of confirmed cases is slowing.” “It is congested in the 900-1000 range,” he said.

“It’s been about a week since the year-end and New Year’s quarantine measures were also implemented,” said Son, the head of Strategic Planning. “We expect the peak effect to appear in 10 to 2 weeks.”

[사진 = 연합뉴스]

The socio-economic damage caused by the three-stage upgrade cannot be ignored. In fact, when the third stage, which is close to’blockade’, is issued, all multi-use facilities except for essential facilities will be stopped.

Unlike stage 2.5, it is a national measure, and more than 500,000 facilities nationwide are expected to close. As a result, the government has also shown a cautious stance on upward as it causes enormous social and economic damage.

However, there are voices saying that the number of new confirmed cases should not decrease despite intensive measures, and that the medical industry and self-employed should take a three-step upgrade. Kim Mo, who runs a brunch cafe in Songpa-gu, Seoul, said, “It is hard to avoid after the corona, but it would be better to upgrade to three stages rather than make it clumsy even if you lose money right away, and to do intensive quarantine.” The occurrence of group infection in nursing homes and correctional facilities is also a variable that cannot be ignored.

◆If you go to step 3… I can’t go to the beauty salon and study cafe

If stage 3 is issued, meetings and events will be restricted from the previous stage 2.5, banning more than 50 people, to ban more than 10 people. The wedding hall must be closed, and in the case of funeral halls, it is applied as a facility except for the prohibition of gathering, so a ban on gatherings of 10 or more is applied.

Department stores, wedding halls, movie theaters, performance halls, PC rooms, game rooms, reading rooms, study cafes, amusement parks, and beauty salons are also closed. 5 types of entertainment facilities and direct sales including door-to-door sales promotion halls, karaoke rooms, indoor standing performance halls, indoor sports facilities, etc. The door should be closed as in step 2.5. Large distribution facilities such as complex shopping malls and outlets (over 300㎡) cannot be operated. Although hypermarkets are subject to business suspension, there are discussions about allowing the purchase of daily necessities. Traditional markets may also allow purchase of daily necessities.

Sports facilities, bicycle racing, and horse racing are also unable to receive guests without a limit on the number of people. Restaurants are only allowed to be packaged and delivered after 9 p.m., and the number of users is limited to one per 8 m² (about 2.4 pyeong). The cafe is only available for takeout regardless of business hours. The operation of all national and public facilities, regardless of indoor/outdoor, including academies that were ordered to prohibit gathering as a special measure in step 2.5, will be suspended. Social welfare facilities including day care centers are recommended to be closed or closed, but emergency care services are maintained. School classes are converted to distance classes and all sporting events are completely suspended.

However, medical facilities such as hospitals and pharmacies, industrial facilities such as electricity, transportation, and delivery, government and public institutions, marts, convenience stores, general restaurants, gosiwons, hotels, etc. are essential facilities and are excluded from group prohibition.

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