Government’s Revised Measures for Social Distancing (Draft)
Due to the inevitable reality of the prolonged COVID-19 situation, revised measures for sustainable social distancing will be implemented starting Sat, Nov. 7. The main changes are: ① Detailed segmentation of the existing three levels; ② Partial augmentation of standards for raising social distancing levels in accord with the existing medical system; and ③ Simplified risk assessment system for multi-use facilities from three levels of high, medium and low risk to two levels of focused and general management facilities.
□ Key Changes
➊ (Segmentation of social distancing levels) 3 levels → 5 levels (levels 1.5 and 2.5 added)
【 Modification of Social Distancing Levels 】
| Level 1 | Level 1.5 | Level 2 | Level 2.5 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distancing in daily life | Regional epidemic | Nationwide epidemic | ||
| Distancing in daily life | Onset of regional epidemic | Rapid regional epidemic; Onset of nationwide epidemic | Nationwide epidemic | Nationwide pandemic |
➋ (Augmented distancing criteria) The existing criteria, which are excessively low as they were set in accordance with the initial medical competency, shall be augmented considering the current availability of beds and the weekly trend of disease transmission.
【 Criteria of Levels of Social Distancing (draft) 】
| Level 1 | Level 1.5 | Level 2 | Level 2.5 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Metropolitan area) Less than 100 people
(Other areas) |
(Metropolitan area) More than 100 people
(Other areas) |
※ In the event of 1 of the 3 situations below
① More than double the amount of level 1.5 |
400-500 people nationwide or extreme spike in number of patients | 800-1,000 people nationwide or extreme spike in number of patients |
➌ (Simplified classification of facilities) 3 levels of high, medium, and low → 2 levels of focused and general management facilities
【 Classification of Multi-use Facilities 】
| Category | Facilities | Current Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Focused management facilities (9 types) |
▴5 types of entertainment facilities (nightclubs, bars, etc.) ▴ Karaoke rooms ▴Indoor standing concert halls, ▴Door-to-door sales and direct sales promotion centers |
High-risk facility |
| ▴Restaurants and cafes | Medium-risk facility | |
| General management facilities (14 types) |
▴PC bang (Internet cafes) ▴Wedding halls ▴Funeral halls ▴Private academies ▴Vocational training centers ▴Concert halls ▴Movie theaters ▴Amusement & water parks ▴Game arcades and multimedia room ▴Public baths ▴Indoor sports facilities | Medium-risk facility |
| ▴Beauty salons and barber shops ▴Stores, supermarkets, department stores ▴Study cafes and rooms | Low-risk facility |
□ Revision of Level 1 (To be implemented on Sat, Nov. 7)
| Category | Present | Revision | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatherings, events | ‣Refrain from indoor and outdoor gatherings of over 50 and 100 people, respectively | ‣Possible ※ Events with over 500 participants shall be reported and discussed with local authorities. Disinfection measures shall be taken mandatorily. |
Eased |
| Sporting events | ‣Limitation of spectators (30% maximum) | ‣Entry of audience (50%) | Eased |
| Mandatory wearing of face masks | ‣Focused and general management facilities, public transportation, medical facilities, pharmacies, sanatoriums, day and night protection services, indoor sports stadium, high-risk business sites, etc. (Imposition of an administrative fine in case of violation) ※ masks are recommended to be worn in indoor facilities and crowded outdoor facilities |
Newly established | |
| Private facilities | ‣(Door-to-door sales) Gathering restricted ‣(11 types of high-risk facilities) Gathering restricted ‣(Private academies and multi-use facilities) Mandatory wearing of masks and conduct or core quarantine measures ‣(Churches) Limitation of gathering people and restriction of eating in groups |
‣(Focused management facilities) Limitation of people and mandatory conduct of core disinfection measures ※ Strengthened disinfection measures in focused management facilities ① 5 types of entertainment facilities: Limitation of visitors (1 person/4㎡) ② Door-to-door sales, etc.: Limitation of people (1 person/4㎡) and prohibition of singing and eating ③ Karaoke rooms: Disinfection for 30 minutes after use ④ Indoor standing concert halls: Every other seat shall be left empty ⑤ Indoor sports facilities: Limitation of visitors (1 person/4㎡) ⑥ Restaurants and cafes: Tables arranged 1 meter apart, every other chair and table left empty, etc. ‣(General management facilities) Regular operation ※ Mandatory conduct of 3 basic disinfection measures (masks, visitors log, ventilation/disinfection) ‣(Other facilities) Regular operation ‣(Religious activities) Every other seat left empty, and gatherings and eating discouraged (overnight events restricted) |
Facility reclassified and quarantine measures considering the facility features |
| Going to school | ‣Density of 2/3 | Newly established | |
| ※ Can be adjusted according to local and school conditions | |||
| Social welfare facilities (Including day care centers) |
‣Operation | ‣Operation under thorough disinfection measures | – |
| National and public facilities | ‣ Restrictions on the operation of indoor and outdoor facilities (Up to 50%) |
‣Regular operation ※ Cycling and horse racing events limited to 50% of visitors |
Eased |
| Institutions and companies | ‣Public: Personnel limitation through flexible working arrangement and working from home ‣Private: Personnel limitation recommended |
‣Flexible working arrangement and working from home recommended ※ Mandatory wearing of face masks for dense business sites that cannot work from home |
Mask added |
□ Social Distancing Measures by Level
| Category | Level 1 | Level 1.5 | Level 2 | Level 2.5 | Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distancing in daily life | Regional epidemic | Nationwide epidemic | ||||
| Gatherings, events | Events with over 500 participants shall be reported and discussed with local authorities. Disinfection measures shall be taken mandatorily. | Maintain measures for level 1, gathering of 100 people or more restricted for certain events including festivals | Restriction of the gathering of 100 people or more | Restriction of the gathering of 50 people or more | Restriction of the gathering of 100 people or more | |
| Sporting events | Limitation of spectators (50%) | Limitation of spectators (30%) | Limitation of spectators (10%) | No spectator game | Suspension of game | |
| Mandatory wearing of face masks | Focused and general management facilities, public transit, pharmacies, sanatoriums, day and night protection services, indoor sports stadium, high-risk business sites, etc. | All items in Level 1 and outdoor sports stadium | All indoor facilities, high-risk outdoor activities | All indoor facilities, outdoor locations where people cannot stay 2 meters apart | ||
| Private facilities | ||||||
| Focused Management Facilities | Restriction on the number of people and mandatory practice of core disinfection measures | Strengthened restriction on the number of people, prohibition of high-risk activities | Restriction on gathering in the 5 types of entertainment facilities | Restriction of door-to-door sales, of gatherings at direct sales promotion centers, karaoke rooms, indoor standing concert halls | Restriction on gatherings that are not essential facilities. Operation restrictions on other facilities | |
| Other facilities are subject to strengthened measures and suspension of operation past 9 PM; “One-strike, you’re out” system in case of violation | ||||||
| General Management Facilities | Regular operation, mandatory conduct of the 3 basic disinfection measures | Restriction on the number of people according to facility features | Strengthened restriction on the number of people, prohibition of high-risk activities | Suspension of operation and strengthened measures past 9 PM; “One-strike, you’re out” system in case of violation | ||
| Other Facilities | Regular operation | Mandatory wearing of face masks | Restriction on the number of people | |||
| National and public facilities | Bicycle and horse racing limited to 50% of visitors | Bicycle and horse racing limited to 20% of visitors, other facilities to 50% | Non-suspension facilities, including bicycle and horse racing, limited to 30% of visitors | Non-suspension facilities, including sports facilities and bicycle/horse racing, limited to 30% of visitors | Suspension of operation regardless of indoor or outdoor | |
| Social welfare facilities | Operated under thorough disinfection measures | Suspension of facility recommended; emergency care maintained | ||||
| (Including day care centers) | ※ Partial facilities shall be suspended from operation and provide emergency care only, considering the rising trend of disease within a region or the risk/disinfection situation of facilities | |||||
| Use of public transit | Mandatory wearing of face masks | Additional restriction of consuming food inside public transit (excluding international flights) | Booking restricted to below 50% of seats for KTX and express buses (excluding flights) | Booking restricted to below 50% of seats for KTX and express buses (excluding flights) | ||
| Going to school | 2/3 density recommended, can be adjusted | 2/3 density | 1/3 density recommended (2/3 for high schools); Up to 2/3 allowed | 1/3 density | Remote classes | |
| Religious activities | ※ Specific measures to be decided after discussion with religious circles according to disinfection and group infection situations when adjusting social distancing levels | |||||
| Seated one seat apart; Eating discouraged (overnight events prohibited) | Restricted to less than 30% of seats for regular service; | Restricted to less than 20% of seats for regular service; | Remote activities, no. of people limited to 20 or less; Restriction on gatherings and eating | 1-person video allowed only; | ||
| Restriction on gatherings and eating | Restriction on gatherings and eating | Restriction on gatherings and eating | ||||
| Workplaces | Working from home recommended for a proportion of workers per organization/division (e.g: 1/5 of employees) | Expansion of the working from home arrangement for a proportion of workers per organization/division | Over 1/3 of employees recommended to work from home | Mandatory working from home apart from essential personnel | ||
| (e.g: 1/3 of employees) | ||||||
| Mandatory wearing of face masks in high-risk workplaces | Mandatory conduct of wearing face masks, ventilation, disinfection, and distancing among workers in high-risk workplaces | |||||