제 14 호 The Mandatory Outdoor Mask Has Been Lifted
Kiker: LIFE (Covid-19)
The Mandatory Outdoor Mask Has Been Lifted
Returning to Our Daily Life
By Yun-Seo Jung, Cub-Reporter
On May 2, the duty wearing of outdoor masks was lifted. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the government was preparing for a new daily life step by step according to changes in the quarantine situation such as raising social distancing, to change the COVID-19 infectious disease grade from 1 to 2. Lately, the COVID-19 epidemic in Korea has been declining for six weeks since the third week of March, when it peaked. And as the number of critically ill patients and deadths is gradually decreasing, the standards seem to be gradually easing.
Standard for Taking Off the Outdoors Mask
The outdoor mask mandate has been lifted, however, it has hard standard. A person attending a rally with more than 50 people and visitors to performances and sports games with more than 50 people have an obligation to wear an outdoor mask. Also, if you suspect COVID-19, you must wear a mask. There are preference responses about taking off a mask, however, some citizens are anxious about the number of confirmed cases.
Then, how are countries that have lifted the mandatory wearing of masks responding to this situation? In both indoor and outdoor countries, only a part of the interior has been lifted, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and France. In France, obligation to wear outdoor masks has been lifted since June, 2021 expect for specific public places, and the obligation to wear indoor masks was lifted except for public transportation, public health centers, and medical institutions in March, 2022. However, on May 16, fifteen of the European Union member countries allowed passengers to take off their masks in public transportation, because of lifting the mandatory of mask regulation. Germany has lifted obligation to wear outdoor masks since June last year, and in March this year, the indoor masks obligation was lifted except for medical institutions and public transportation. The situation in Singapore is similar to domestic. The duty to wear an outdoor mask has been lifted since March this year, but it is mandatory to wear an indoor mask. This is the current situation of COVID-19 in these countries. According to a press release by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the trend of confirmed patients in France and Singapore has been gradually decreasing since the mandate of wearing masks was lifted. Looking at this trend, there is no need to be anxious about the lifting of the obligation to wear outdoor masks.
As outdoor masks were lifted and COVID-19 quarantine standards were eased, various changes appeared in our lives. According to the data portal of Korea Credit Data, the average sales of small business owners increased 7.3% in the first week from the previous week (April 25 to May 1) after the lifting of the duty of wearing outdoor masks. Compared to the same period last year, the figure jumped 19.7%. According to the ticket sales agency, sales of concerts held in the second quarter of this year increased 267% compared to the same period last year. The number of concert products held in the second quarter also increased 43.5% from last year.
WHO, Our world in data
Like this, the outdoor mask wearing mandate has been lifted and the distancing standards have been eased, various fields, such as the performance industry and the restaurant industry, are becoming more active as before. While it is good to enjoy the present, it is essential to continue personal prevention of epidemics in order to regain our more free daily life.
Sources :
http://www.mohw.go.kr/react/al/sal0301vw.jsp?PAR_MENU_ID=04&MENU_ID=0403&page=3&CONT_SEQ=371325
https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F35351
https://www.deutschland.de/de/news/coronavirus-in-deutschland-informationen
https://www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/general/faqs---masks-and-personal-protective-equipment-(ppe)#:~:text=Children%20of%206%20years%20of,shields%20in%20place%20of%20masks.
