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Nov 02, 2020

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The social distancing alert status from Nov. 7 will be expanded from three to five levels to prepare for COVID-19 over the long term. Pictured here is Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Nov. 1 speaking to a meeting of the Central Disaster and Countermeasure Headquarters at Government Complex-Seoul. (Yonhap News)


By Kim Minji and Lee Jihae


The social distancing alert system to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Korea from Nov. 7 will be expanded from three levels to five.


Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Nov. 1 announced this measure at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at Government Complex-Seoul, saying, "The decision seeks to compensate for the drawbacks caused by the excessively wide gaps in quarantine measures by level."


The new system will include levels 1.5 and 2.5, and the criteria for a level upgrade are the number of critically ill patients and that of hospital beds in each region per week as well as the weekly spread of COVID-19.


The revision of the levels minimizes restrictions that adversely affect the consumer economy such as bans on gatherings or business operations, and facilities deemed high risk will have limits on operating hours and the permissible number of people instituted in phases. 

A ban on restaurants running after 9 p.m., excluding delivery and takeout operations and the prohibition on entertainment facilities, will be enforced if the number of daily COVID-19 cases exceeds 300 for a week. Under the former system, a ban (Level 2) was enforced when the number averaged 50-100 per day. 

Level 2 under the previous system prohibited indoor weddings and church services with 50 or more attendees. Under the new rules, the ban will be enforced at Level 2.5 if the daily number of positive cases is 400-500 for a week. 

Public facilities such as those of social welfare, libraries and museums can operate with restrictions under Level 2.5 given high public demand for using such places. 

Under the previous system, Level 3 barred people from attending in person schools, private education institutes, malls and beauty parlors if the daily number of cases exceeded 100. From Nov. 7, Level 3 applies if the figure ranges from 800-1,000. 

Instead of being designated high-, mid- or low-risk under the old system, multipurpose venues will be classified into nine categories of "high maintenance" and 14 of "regular maintenance." Core quarantine measures such as mask wearing and registration at venues will be mandatory at 23 types of multipurpose facilities. 

The government added that it will inform in advance the possibility of raising the social distancing level to give people time to prepare accordingly and allow a time gap between the raising of the level. 

The new system takes effect from Nov. 7 and mask wearing will be compulsory from Nov. 13. 

Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neunghoo, who is concurrently first vice head of the disaster and safety headquarters, told a briefing on Nov. 1 that the revised levels seek to "prepare for COVID-19 over the long term and maximize the guarantee of the people's daily life and economic activity."

kimmj7725@korea.kr

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