As the wave of COVID-19 continues, the government is reviewing restrictions including a smaller number of people allowed for private gatherings and shorter business hours for public facilities. This will practically pull the brakes on phase one of the phased return to everyday life (“With Covid”), which the government first implemented on November 1, after a month and a half.

This day, the prime minister presided over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters against COVID-19 at the government office in Seoul and in his opening remark said, “The government believes the situation in disease control is very serious and will enforce stronger social distancing measures.” The prime minister also said, “We are reviewing measures including a smaller number of people allowed for private gatherings and restrictions on business hours. We will finalize and announce the measures soon.”

Measures currently being mentioned are reducing the number of people allowed to gather in the Seoul metropolitan area from the current six to four persons and reintroducing restrictions on business hours of public facilities such as restaurants and cafes--currently not restricted--to midnight or 10 p.m.

The stronger distancing measures are expected to be announced on December 17 and are likely to last for two weeks until the end of the year.

Prime Minister Kim said, “If the new measures are implemented, we will also provide ways to adequately compensate the loss suffered by small business owners and self-employed business owners who will once again have to suffer losses.”

As for the shortage of hospital beds, the prime minister said that the government would secure 5,800 more beds for patients with moderate to severe symptoms by the end of the year. He also explained that the government would expand regional hospitals exclusively for the treatment of COVID-19 patients by repurposing an entire hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, particularly in the greater Seoul area, to secure more beds. He explained, “We will operate six more care hospitals exclusively for the treatment of infectious diseases to reduce the number of older adults waiting for hospital beds.”

According to Prime Minister Kim, the government is also planning to quickly reorganize the current system to increase the bed turnover rate by establishing clear standards for the hospitalization and discharge of patients in serious condition and by strictly enforcing such standards. The government will also provide better home treatment by resolving the improvements requested on the field one by one.

The prime minister also spoke on the vaccination of teenagers and said, “Fortunately, as of today, up to 56% of teenagers ages 12-15 have received at least one dose of the vaccine,” and explained that the government would make vaccination more convenient for teenagers by allowing them to get vaccinated on site without prior reservations, by having authorities visit schools with the vaccines, and by connecting them with hospitals where vaccination is possible. The prime minister said that the government would resolve the various concerns parents have about vaccinating teenagers by having relevant authorities present thorough scientific evidence to give parents peace of mind.

Prime Minister Kim also mentioned the 4.9-magnitude earthquake that occurred in the waters near Seogwipo, Jeju-do the previous day and said, “Fortunately, there has been no major damage so far,” and added, “Since there is the possibility of aftershocks, we have asked relevant agencies, such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the National Fire Agency and the government of Jeju-do, to do all they can to take preemptive measures for safety management.”