SEOUL, Nov 2 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea, yesterday, announced a new five-tier social-distancing regulations, replacing the existing three-tier scheme, in a bid to minimise close-down of shops and restaurants that hit hard the owners of microbusinesses and ordinary people.
South Korean Prime Minister, Chung Sye-kyun, said that, the government redesigned the anti-virus measures in a tailored way, to enhance effectiveness from the previous regulations under which uniform closedown was ordered.
Chung said, facilities would be simply grouped into “priority” and “regular” ones, in terms of the application of anti-virus regulations, noting that wearing mask, which had been mandatory in “high-risk” sites, would be applied to all facilities.
The revised social-distancing scheme came, as the government sought to prepare for the prolongation of the COVID-19 pandemic, which requires sustainable anti-virus measures.
The daily number of COVID-19 cases here stayed above 100 for the fifth consecutive day through Sunday, raising the combined figure of infections to 26,635.
Wearing mask will be mandatory under the level-one normal situation, in which the daily average number of COVID-19 cases for a week stays below 100, in the Seoul metropolitan area, below 30 in Chungcheong, Jeolla, Gyeongsang provinces, and below 10 in Gangwon province and Jeju Island.
If the daily average number of cases for a week surpasses the level-one situation, the regulations will be upgraded to the level 1.5, under which the number of people entering crowded facilities will be limited.
If the daily average number of cases for a week tops 300 across the country or the 1.5-level situations continue at least one week in over two provinces, the scheme will be revised up to level 2.0, under which any social gathering of more than 100 people will be banned and only takeout and delivery will be allowed in restaurants past 9.00 p.m.
If the daily average number of cases for a week hovers between 400 and 500 or higher, it will be raised to level 2.5, under which any social gathering of more than 50 people will be banned and any crowded facility will be closed down past 9.00 p.m. local time.
If the daily average number of cases for a week stays between 800 and 1,000 or higher, it will be lifted to level 3.0, under which all people will be recommended to stay at home, any gathering of at least 10 people will be prohibited, and all facilities, except for medical institutions and restaurants, will be closed down.– NNN-YONHAP
