Department store and mart quarantine pass lifted, nationwide expansion

<Anchor>

It seems that the application of the quarantine pass will be lifted at department stores and hypermarkets across the country. When the quarantine pass in Seoul Bay was suspended due to a court decision, it is said that the government has decided to expand it nationwide. The government is expected to announce the relevant information today (17th).

The first news, reporter Jung Da-eun reports.

<Reporter>

A large supermarket in Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do.

In front of the entrance, there were lines of people trying to certify the quarantine pass.

[Precaution pass, please.]

In department stores and large supermarkets in Seoul, the application of the quarantine pass was suspended according to the court's decision last Friday, but in other areas, you cannot enter without a quarantine pass. 

Citizens complain of different quarantine guidelines by region.

[Han Cheol-hee / Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do: I don't feel it's fair. Because my company is in Seoul and I live here... I'm very confused. I think I will unconsciously act the same.]

It is argued that the government should quickly clear up the confusion.

[Choi Jae-wook / Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University Medical School: There is also an issue of equity. Disable all other areas as well, do not apply the quarantine pass, places like supermarkets. We have to give guidelines like this.]

There is also a point that the target of the quarantine pass was expanded unreasonably at first. 

[Kim Yun/Professor of Medical Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine: Korea is a place where the number of confirmed cases is not so high unlike the United States or Europe, but as to whether it is really appropriate to apply the same level of quarantine pass as other countries do.] The

government yesterday After an afternoon meeting, we decided to release quarantine passes at department stores and hypermarkets across the country.

However, we are considering the application of other quarantine measures, such as limiting the number of people by area, and we plan to announce some adjustments to the quarantine pass today.