SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA) – The South Korean government on Monday eased some of its strictest curbs for businesses. However, it has placed limits on private gatherings as authorities prepared to roll out plans for the vaccine later this month.
The new decision comes after a muted Lunar New Year holiday last week. The daily new coronavirus infections had rebounded to above 400 ahead of the holiday. However, they have dropped since then with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) recording 344 new cases as of Sunday midnight.
South Kore is planning to begin its inoculation drive from Feb. 26 and its details will be announced by the head of the KDCA later in the day. The first to receive the shots will be elderly citizens and healthcare workers.
Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol called for greater caution as infection clusters are continuing to trouble densely populated Seoul and its suburbs.
“There is always a concern of transmission from movements during the Lunar New Year holiday,” he said in a meeting. “But if we lower our guards amid easier social distancing measures, infections will rise again.”
The minister said that 80% of the new infections were in the Seoul area, and that highlights the continued threat.
The 9 pm curfew for restaurants and cafes has been pushed to 10 pm, while bars and nightclubs have been permitted to admit a limited number of patrons and they have to adhere to a 10 pm curfew.
Restrictions have been eased for cinemas, internet cafes, “cram schools”, theme parks, large supermarkets, and hair salons.
There are no curbs on businesses outside the Seoul area and attendance restrictions have been eased for churches and sports events.