On the morning of the 26th, citizens are waiting for their turn to be tested for novel coronavirus infection at the temporary screening center in Jung-gu installed in Seoul Station Square. [사진출처 = 연합뉴스]– Amid the’third pandemic’ of a new coronavirus infectious disease in Korea (Corona 19), there are 1,000 confirmed cases a day, and the government will announce additional measures, including whether or not to raise the distance to the third stage.
In addition to the success of large and small group infections across the country, 1,200 confirmed cases, the highest ever, on the 25th of Christmas, appear to be tightening the reins of quarantine. In addition, the proportion of patients with’unknown infection route’ also reaches 27%, increasing anxiety.
The government is also implementing “special quarantine measures during the year-end and New Year holidays”, such as banning meetings of five or more people until January 3, next year, but it is unclear whether the spreading trend will break for the time being. Recently, even in Japan, confirmed cases of a variant virus originating in the UK, which has a 56% transmission power than the previous one, are emerging, which is a situation of concern for the whole of Asia including Korea.
◆The end of stage 2.5 is imminent… Inevitable shutdown of 500,000 facilities
The government will hold a critical script meeting presided over by Prime Minister Chung Sye-gyun at 3 pm on the 27th to determine additional quarantine measures, including whether to raise the distance.
Currently, phase 2.5 is in effect in the metropolitan area and phase 2 in most non-metropolitan areas. As the end of the coming 28th, it is necessary to decide to extend or further upgrade these measures.
![On the 13th, a movie theater in Yongsan-gu, Seoul is busy because there are no guests. [한주형 기자]](https://i0.wp.com/file.mk.co.kr/meet/neds/2020/12/image_readmed_2020_1322526_16090180424485754.jpg?w=600&ssl=1)
On the 13th, a movie theater in Yongsan-gu, Seoul is busy because there are no guests. [한주형 기자]– In fact, when the third stage, which is close to the socio-economic’blockade’, is issued, all multi-use facilities except essential facilities will cease. Unlike stage 2.5, it is a national measure, and more than 500,000 facilities nationwide are expected to close. The government has also been cautious about the upward movement as it causes enormous social and economic damage.
Currently, the 2.5-step extension is weighing on, but as the number of confirmed cases surged the previous day, the pressure to upgrade to the third step has increased somewhat.
The standard for the 3rd stage of upgrade is when the average number of confirmed cases in Korea per day for a week is 800-1000. The first day when more than 1,000 confirmed cases appeared on the 12th was the past 12 days, and the three-level criteria have already been met.
◆What to do when you are upgraded to the third level… I can’t go to a beauty salon or academy
At the third stage, meetings and events will be limited to’No more than 10 people’ from the previous stage 2.5,’No more than 50 people’. Nationally, until January 3 of next year, an administrative order was issued to ban more than 5 people. At the time of the announcement, the government said, “In the case of weddings and funerals, in consideration of the exceptional nature, the 2.5-stage standard of 50 or more people will be banned.” Revealed.
However, when the third stage is issued, the wedding itself is banned. In the case of funeral homes, it is expected that more than 10 people will be banned according to the existing guidelines, as it is applied as a facility except for the ban on group gatherings. Department stores, wedding halls, movie theaters, performance halls, PC rooms, recreation rooms, reading rooms, study cafes, amusement parks, and beauty salons are also closed.
![A cafe with chairs placed on the table so that seats are not available in step 2 of social distancing. [사진출처 = 연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/file.mk.co.kr/meet/neds/2020/12/image_readbot_2020_1322526_16090180424485753.jpg?w=647&ssl=1)
A cafe with chairs placed on the table so that seats are not available in step 2 of social distancing. [사진출처 = 연합뉴스]– Five types of entertainment facilities, direct sales promotions such as door-to-door sales, karaoke rooms, indoor standing performance halls, and indoor sports facilities should be closed as in step 2.5. Large distribution facilities (over 300㎡) such as complex shopping malls, outlets, and hypermarkets cannot be operated, and sports facilities, bicycle racing and horse racing, etc. cannot accept customers without limit.
Restaurants are only allowed to be packaged and delivered after 9 p.m., and the number of users is limited to one per 8 m² (about 2.4 pyeong). The cafe is only available for takeout regardless of business hours.
The operation of all national and public facilities, regardless of indoor/outdoor, including academies that were ordered to prohibit gathering as a special measure in step 2.5, will be suspended.
Social welfare facilities including day care centers are recommended to be closed or closed, but emergency care services are maintained. School classes are converted to distance classes and all sporting events are completely suspended.
However, medical facilities such as hospitals and pharmacies, industrial facilities such as electricity, transportation, and delivery, government and public institutions, marts, convenience stores, general restaurants, gosiwons, hotels, etc. are essential facilities and are excluded from group prohibition.
◆Variant Corona Landed in Japan… Concerns about the spread of Asia
Recently, in Japan, there are even confirmed cases of a variant virus infection from the UK, raising concerns about whether it is spreading to all of Asia including Korea.
According to NHK, a local public broadcaster in Japan on the 26th, five Japanese infected with the variant virus returned home through Haneda Airport (2) and Kansai Airport (3) on the 18th and 21st of this month, and were tested positive in the corona 19 test at the airport. As a result of analyzing their samples at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan, they were found to be a strain of Corona 19.
At a press conference the day before, Japanese Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Tamura Norihisa said, “Because the positive was confirmed at the airport quarantine, it would not be possible to think that there was a contact in the form of infection to other people after arriving in Korea.”
However, experts say that it cannot be relieved as it is 56% more powerful than the existing virus.
Recently, the’Mathematical Modeling Center of Infectious Diseases’ under the London Graduate School of Tropical Medicine said, “It is not yet clear how deadly this variant virus is compared to the original virus of Corona 19, besides its spreading power, The death toll could increase,” he said.
![Medical staff at a hospital in London, UK, are preparing for Pfizer-Bioentech's COVID-19 vaccine. [사진출처 = 연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/file.mk.co.kr/meet/neds/2020/12/image__2020_1322526_16090180424485752.jpg?w=700&ssl=1)
Medical staff at a hospital in London, UK, are preparing for Pfizer-Bioentech’s COVID-19 vaccine. [사진출처 = 연합뉴스]– Corona 19 strains, which first appeared in southeastern England at the end of September this year, have been confirmed in the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Italy, Singapore, and Japan.
Another variant of the virus has also been identified in South Africa. It was analyzed that this strain is also more powerful than the existing virus and that children are also easily infected.
The first two strains of viruses, each first discovered in England and South Africa, are similar but have evolved separately. Both carry a mutation called’N501YU’, which was analyzed to play a critical role in infecting human cells.
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