Following six weeks of the toughest Level 4 distancing rules, the country’s fourth Covid-19 wave showed few signs of decreasing. The previous restriction included a ban on gatherings of more than two people after 6 pm, which was mainly imposed in the greater Seoul area.
According to the latest data by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), South Korea reported 2,052 new Covid-19 cases on Friday. More than 2,000 cases were reportedly acquired locally.
As part of the newly extended restrictions, authorities have asked restaurants and cafes in the metropolitan area to close an hour earlier at 9 pm until Sept 5, as informed by the Prime Minister in a Covid-19 response meeting.
Earlier, only two people could gather after 6 pm in the region. The latest rules would allow one or two other fully vaccinated people can now join them, 14 days after their last shot. A senior health ministry official, Son Young-rae, mentioned that restaurants and cafes have accounted for 30 percent of recent cluster Covid-19 outbreaks.
As per the latest measures, staff at high-risk facilities such as saunas, indoor gyms, karaoke bars and private academies will be required to take biweekly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. The incentives have been put in place to encourage vaccinations and to boost the economy, especially businesses such as restaurants and cafes that have been hit hardest by prolonged measures.
South Korea has given 48.3 percent of its 52 million population at least one vaccine dose, and 21.6 percent are fully vaccinated. It aims to fully immunise 70 percent by October. Helped largely by vaccinating the elderly and the vulnerable, the country has not seen a significant increase in Covid-19 deaths.
Although the mortality rate has been around 0.94 percent, the number of severe and critical cases has been on the rise, reaching 385 as of Thursday. The KDCA has registered a total of 232,859 infections since the pandemic started, with 2,197 deaths.
Tags: Coronavirus, Covid-19, South Korea, South Korea tourism
