Having coffee in the cafeteria, just one hour … 2.5-step extension change

The government has decided to extend the current stage of social distancing for two weeks, and also maintain measures to ‘prohibit private gatherings of more than 5 people’ and ‘prohibit eating in stores after 9 pm’. However, with the exception of entertainment facilities, most of the ban on mass bans will be lifted on commercial facilities banned in the metropolitan area. Indoor sports facilities, academies and singing practice centers will resume their activities on a conditional basis, and it will be possible to eat and drink in the cafeteria.

Kwon Deok-cheol, the first deputy chief of the Security and Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), announced a social distancing adjustment plan to be implemented from next week to prevent the spread of infection for the new coronavirus (Corona 19) in the joint meeting room of the government office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 16. have. [뉴시스]

Kwon Deok-cheol, the first deputy chief of the Security and Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), announced the policy to adjust the distancing of these details in a briefing on the 16th. First, the distancing phase (Seoul Metropolitan Area Stage 2.5, Seoul Metropolitan Area Stage 2) will run for 2 weeks from 0 o’clock on 18 to 24 o’clock on 31. During this period, it was also decided to maintain the ban on private meetings of more than 5 people and the prohibition of businesses such as restaurants after 9 pm.

This is because it still meets the standard of 2.5 steps of social distancing (weekly daily average of 400-500 national confirmed cases). The weekly average of confirmed cases per day, which surpassed 1,000 at the end of December last year, fell to 516.1 between the 10th and the 16th of this month. However, Minister Kwon said that “the number of patients currently incurred has decreased, but the possibility of a reproliferation cannot be ruled out if the distancing is alleviated.”

Maintenance and important adjustments in phase 2.5 of the metropolitan area. Graphic = Reporter Jaemin Shin [email protected]

Although the standards of distancing have not been lowered, most of the bans on prohibited facilities in the metropolitan area are lifted. Minister Kwon said: “Indoor sports facilities, academies, singing practice rooms, stand-up performance halls, door-to-door sales, etc.”

The long-term ban on assemblies has not only caused difficulties in the livelihood of operators and workers, but also controversy over the fairness of the quarantine. However, group bans are maintained for 5 types of entertainment facilities, such as clubs, Collate, Danran Izakaya, Hunting Pocha and Gamseong Izakaya.

In-store dining is allowed in the same way as restaurants in 190,000 cafes across the country that only allowed packaging and delivery. However, if the allowed / reported area is greater than 50m2, it is mandatory to use only 50% of the seats on a spaced table or seat, or to leave a distance of 1 m between tables or to install partitions.

If you do not eat, you must wear a mask, and if you violate it, you will be fined no more than 100,000 won. If more than one user ordered only coffee, drinks and simple desserts, it is strongly recommended to limit the time spent in the store to one hour.

On the afternoon of the 4th, the users of the ski resort will move to the slopes of the Elysian Gangchon Resort Ski Resort in Chuncheon City, Gangwon-do. [뉴시스]

The ban on group facilities such as restaurants and cafes in ski resorts across the country will also be lifted. However, the suspension of operations will be maintained after 9:00 pm, and the same quarantine rules will apply as in other restaurants and cafes. In addition, the number of additional facilities, such as changing rooms and entertainment rooms, is limited to one for every 8㎡.

However, the special measures for the New Years and New Years holidays to minimize travel and holidays will be extended for two weeks. For hotels, resorts, guesthouses, and other lodging facilities nationwide, reservations are limited to two-thirds of the number of rooms and guests who exceed the number of rooms cannot be accommodated. Furthermore, it is also forbidden for people to organize parties in the accommodation facilities, or for accommodation facilities to organize events and parties.

Face-to-face worship at a church in Busanjin-gu, Busan, on August 30 last year. [뉴스1]

Low-risk religious activities, such as regular worship, court meetings, and Masses, are limited. However, you must follow quarantine rules, such as wearing a mask and keeping your distance. In addition, 10% of the seats in the metropolitan area and 20% of the non-metropolitan areas will be allowed to advance.

However, apart from regular events, all other gatherings and meals, such as revival meetings, Bible study meetings, district worship services, and visits, where group infections have been frequent, are still prohibited. In prayer and training centers, quarantine measures, such as limiting the number of people, prohibiting accommodation and food, and prohibiting all-inclusive prayer, will be made mandatory, and inspections will be reinforced.

In the case of other multiple-use facilities in the metropolitan area where the group ban is lifted, the number of concurrent users is limited to one for every 8㎡ of area for permits and reports. However, if the epidemic situation improves after that, expanding the number of staff to 1 by 4㎡ (based on stage 2) will also be considered.

Private organizations also recommended that more than a third of employees work from home, a delay system for lunch hours, and refrain from meetings and dinners. However, in accordance with the lifting of the ban on collective scripts, it was decided to inspect and crack down on quarantine regulations so that quarantine regulations could be effectively enforced, and to strengthen penalties such as fines for negligence and suspension of facility operations in case of violation.

Reporter Esther and Heo Jeong-won [email protected]