Social distancing measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 on April 4 were eased by extending the operating hours of multipurpose facilities by an hour to midnight and allowing private gatherings of a maximum 10 people, up from eight. Shown on the day before is a sign at a restaurant in Seoul on the new operating hours. (Yonhap News)
By Kang Gahui and Kim Hayeon
Social distancing measures on April 4 were eased.
Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-chul, who is concurrently first deputy director of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, on April 1 told a regular briefing on COVID-19 at Government Complex-Seoul, "We decided to extend the opening hours of multipurpose facilities from 11 p.m. to midnight and the permissible number of people at a private gathering from eight to 10."
"The new rules from April 4 will take effect for two weeks, and if the number of infections over this period continues to steadily decline, we will consider overall adjustments."
"Ultimately, we will head toward a system close to returning to normal life by abolishing all quarantine restrictions such those on private gatherings and holding large-scale events, with the exception of requiring mask wearing indoors," he added. "The overall system will be reorganized to ensure accuracy by quarantine and medical systems centered on the daily response system."
On the same day the new rules were announced, the number of infections reached 264,171, showing a downward trend following 234,301 on April 2 and 127,190 on April 3. The countermeasure headquarters also predicted that the number of critically ill or deaths will also decline from this week or the next.
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