<Anchor> It is a
friendly economic time.
This week, I will be with reporter Kim Hye-min.
Reporter Kim, these social distancing policies have been in place for quite some time due to the coronavirus.
By the way, did statistics come out to see the effect of this policy?
<Reporter>
Yes, even though our people followed the government's distancing policy well, they said, "Is this really effective?"
There are times when these questions arise, and a news agency compared the social distancing policy in the second half of last year and the population movement of Seoul.
In mid-August last year, distance was upgraded to the second stage.
At this time, you can see the blue line, the population movement, falling.
When you go up to step 2.5, the movement of people decreases further.
On the contrary, it is lowered to the second stage in mid-September and it increases again.
It's natural, but every time the social distancing level is changed, the amount of movement of citizens also changes.
Even though the loss of merchants is large due to the prolonged distancing, it will not be easy for the government to abandon policies that are immediately effective.
<Anchor>
So, if there aren't a lot of people going around, there are fewer opportunities for contact, so there is an effect of quarantine.
It's like this.
So, how about the strong social distancing measures that have been in place since the end of last year?
<Reporter>
Yes, the third epidemic began in earnest from last November.
From this point on, the amount of movement began to gradually decrease.
The movement of citizens gradually decreased as the distance distance was gradually increased to 2.5 levels.
Shutdown began, in which most downtown Seoul was closed after 9 o'clock from the beginning of December, but the amount of movement did not drop sharply.
However, from mid-December, the movement of citizens gradually increases.
You can see the blue line of the declining graph gradually rising.
Then it suddenly falls off again.
At the end of the year, citizens started to hold year-end meetings one by one, but from December 23, when the government began banning groups of five or more people, it has decreased significantly.
So, on the graph, it seems that it was definitely more effective in reducing the amount of movement when the ban on groups of 5 or more people was implemented together than when shutting down after 9 o'clock.
<Anchor>
Reporter Kim, it's been more than a year since the coronavirus occurred.
Then, if you look at the epidemic period, there are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds. Is there a difference for each order?
How is it?
<Reporter> It
is certainly true that citizens reduced the amount of movement in every fashion.
However, during the 3rd epidemic, corona fatigue seems to have increased a bit.
The two graphs on the left are in the 1st and 2nd epidemics, and in this case, the amount of movement, which is the blue line, drops sharply as the number of confirmed patients increases.
However, during the 3rd trend, the rightmost graph, the decline in this graph is relatively gentle.
The decline in the moving population was slow.
Long-term strong distancing may not have much effect on reducing the amount of movement.
In addition, the pain of merchants is getting more and more serious.
It is time for the government to regulate tweezers.
Also, in the first week of October last year, there was a sudden drop in movement.
This was the Chuseok holiday last year, and it seems that the citizens actively fulfilled the government's request to stay at home without meeting their families.
<Anchor>
As reporter Kim just said, I didn't really move much during Chuseok last year.
But it is the New Year holidays soon.
However, even during the Lunar New Year holidays this year, the Korean government is requesting to refrain from moving if possible.
However, there may be some people who have to go, but what kind of things should they pay attention to when moving?
<Reporter>
Yes, first of all, those who travel by car will definitely use the rest area. All menus can only be packaged and eating is prohibited inside the rest area.
It is allowed to eat outside, but it is better not to eat it at all or in the car.
In the meantime, I haven't been paid tolls for expressways every holiday, but this time I am charged the same tolls as in Chuseok last year.
This income is said to be used for quarantine activities.
If you are going by train or bus, be sure to wear a mask inside.
Do not eat food.
The eggs or cider you ate on the train should be left as memories for the time being.
The government says that during the Lunar New Year holidays, drinking crackdown is intensive, especially because of the coronavirus.
This is a false rumor.
It is said that alcohol is always cracked down at highway crossings and restaurants using a non-contact alcohol detector.
If you have eaten drinking alcohol, please do not drive, but leave the steering wheel to someone else.