The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy

  • 3

    ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views

  • 5

    Pyongyang threatens eye-for-eye response as US B-1B bombers join drills in South Korea

  • 7

    INTERVIEWA touch of authenticity in Korea's Mexican cuisine scene

  • 9

    Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars

  • 11

    Korean iPhone users lose 'batterygate' lawsuit

  • 13

    Woman in mysterious child death case given suspended prison term by appeals court

  • 15

    Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

  • 17

    Korea to root out 'jeonse scam,' support victims

  • 19

    Seoul, US hold combined air drills, involving B-1B bomber, F-22, F-35 stealth fighters

  • 2

    Seoul city council under fire for sexual conduct guidelines for teachers

  • 4

    Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone

  • 6

    Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'

  • 8

    Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people

  • 10

    Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'

  • 12

    Girl group NewJeans sweeps top 3 spots on Melon's monthly chart for Jan.

  • 14

    INTERVIEW'Extended deterrence is best option to ensure peace on Korean Peninsula'

  • 16

    Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters

  • 18

    INTERVIEWUS-NK summit is unlikely in 2023: Korea Society

  • 20

    INTERVIEWIMF expects no recession for Korean economy

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, February 4, 2023 | 14:43
Health & Science
Health experts call for toughest social distancing measures yet
Posted : 2021-12-12 16:27
Updated : 2021-12-12 18:29
Bahk Eun-ji
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
People wait in line to receive coronavirus tests at a temporary screening center in Songpa District, Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
People wait in line to receive coronavirus tests at a temporary screening center in Songpa District, Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

By Bahk Eun-ji

Epidemiologists are calling on the government to implement its toughest-yet social distancing measures, as the current COVID-19 situation is growing beyond the nation's medical capacity.

They say it is going to be difficult to turn around the current virus situation and control the soaring number of daily infections, which has hovered around 7,000 daily new cases over the last week, with the government's recent new measures, including shortening the dosage interval for booster shots, as it will take at least two months for the policy to take a noticeable effect.

Chon Eun-mi, a professor of respiratory medicine at Ewha Womans University Mok-dong Hospital, warned that if no stricter measures are taken immediately, the country's medical system could collapse, as the number of daily infections could possibly reach 10,000, or even double in just a couple of days.

"In this situation, only stronger lockdown measures, on the premise of sufficient compensation for losses to small business owners and self-employed people, will be effective," Jung Ki-seok, a professor of pulmonary vascular disease at Hallym University Medical Center, said.

"All multiuse facilities where users remove their masks should be temporarily suspended. If the government hesitates, we will not be able to stop further damage and casualties."

Vaccine pass system comes into force
Vaccine pass system comes into force
2021-12-13 10:13  |  Health & Science
Coronavirus: Number of critical cases hits fresh high
Coronavirus: Number of critical cases hits fresh high
2021-12-12 09:59  |  Health & Science

Their warnings and calls for stronger measures reflect the gravity of the situation, in which daily infections and critical cases keep increasing and the medical system is on the verge of overload.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the country reported 6,689 new infections for Saturday. The number of critically ill patients stood at 894, the all-time high seen here during the pandemic.

The shortage of hospital beds in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area has been growing.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of Saturday, 1,739 patients in the greater Seoul area have been waiting to be hospitalized due to the shortage of ICU beds. These include people aged over 70 and those with chronic illnesses.

Of them, 292 have been waiting for more than four days. A total of 29 people have died while waiting at home for hospital beds over the past five weeks.

The intensifying situation is forcing the government to consider toughening the social distancing measures, which had been eased since it adopted the "Living with COVID-19" scheme on Nov. 1.

"If we conclude that the current crisis is unlikely to improve in the near future, we will have no choice but to implement special quarantine measures, including strong social distancing rules," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said in a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on Friday.

Regarding the "special quarantine measures," Lee Ki-Il, the deputy minister of health care policy at the health ministry, said that these may include placing a curfew on the operating hours of multiuse facilities and strengthening restrictions for private gatherings.

The strongest social distancing rules so far were applied at the end of last year, including banning private gatherings of five or more people and allowing only takeout or delivery for restaurants and cafes after 9 p.m.

"If the virus spread trend does not stop, we plan to consider even stronger measures," Lee said.



Emailejb@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars
2Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters
3Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash
4Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications
5First lady expands presence in domestic politics First lady expands presence in domestic politics
6Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers
7FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea
8Naver to roll out conversational AI service Naver to roll out conversational AI service
9SEMICON Korea defies chip industry downturn SEMICON Korea defies chip industry downturn
10K bank decides to delay IPO plan K bank decides to delay IPO plan
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy
2ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views
3Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate' Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'
4Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth' Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'
5'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast 'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group