Yes, I heard that also. It's going to be more like what I proposed many weeks ago. They are going to roll it out slowly by bringing back the older grades first and gradually the younger grades until they are all eventually at 100% attendance.1. They could have done this a month ago.2. Schools are not the problem. The virus doesn't come from being in school.3. The moment a case is reported in some school somewhere in the country, the entire school system will be shut down again and lockdown for 2 weeks. And we're right back where we started and this could go on like this for the whole year. It's really over reaction and paranoia at it's fullest. I don't mean to downplay it, but the actual risks are so low in this country people don't realize you have a higher chance of dying by food poisoning than you do of covid19. So then why don't people stop eating for fear of dying? Everytime you put something in your mouth, you could die.
Anyone else's school got their events budget and planning market days, talent shows, concerts, sports days, and summer camps (across all subjects) as normal - as if a pandemic isn't happening?
probably more political than anything. in recent polls most parents were still against opening schools. no point doing something that will anger a lot of your potential voters (especially if schools opened and it caused another outbreak)
Good point. Agreed. I also think it's about saving face. Korea wouldn't want to be the only country to restart schools and then "IF" a small outbreak occurred, it would be reported all over the world and make the Korean government look like a joke. They are waiting for the rest of the world to re-open schools so they don't look bad.
it's the old "better safe than sorry" approach. (i agree with you though, seems a bit silly if everything else is open - including hagwons. especially as i see kids playing around together in big groups anyway)
People, including myself, had to sneak into the stadium since last week (by using the stairs and side entrance) since the main entrance is closed and oftentimes the policeman guarding the place will ask us (a maximum of 3 people occupying a stadium) to leave, since the stadium is officially closed for fear of infection spreading.The tennis courts and astroturf soccer pitch next to the stadium is business as usual, filled with people engaging in recreation. Ridiculous.
makes no sense. people (myself included) still crowd onto busy subways in the morning. but not allowing more than 3 people to use a massive empty stadium? it's that korean illogical overreaction thing happening
Are you suggesting that just because people need to use the subways there is no case for any other restrictions? That's like saying because I eat a lot of fast food I might as well take up smoking. Because I ride the subway to work doesn't mean I throw social distancing out the window when I can control it. There's no logic in that argument. I hope to God the people in charge aren't going to base their decisions on whether they should open up a venue to crowds based on the fact another venue (public transit in your example) has opened up. That would be illogical. Where they are able to limit crowds they should limit them. And if you accept it's illogical, you can't make a Korean angle out of that since the exact same thing is happening worldwide with public transit and restrictions.
A few weeks ago, hundreds of people were taking selfies along the roadside, next to the cherry blossoms. Police were there and did nothing. Going to a stadium to walk around a track isn't essential, neither is playing tennis, soccer or taking pictures with flowers. The tennis court has about 50 people playing and watching. 50 people in a space a fifth the size of a stadium, which isn't allowing 2 people inside. 95% of the time, no more than 8 people are at that stadium and I go there a few times a week, so I know.What this demonstrates is a complete lack of communication and coordination between government departments.
Korea never had a strict lockdown, it was strongly recommended. And people were only reprimanded if they were known to have the virus, or contact, and broke quarantine when explicitly told to by some authority. Businesses were strongly advised to shut down. As for my area, I'd guesstimate maybe half the hagwons, and gyms, have started opening up middle of last week. But for all of March it was like a ghost town.
Yeah, and I disagree with that approach. The "recommended" is basically the governments way of saying "We don't want to piss off unions and/or voters, so we're just going to illustrate our strong leadership by... passing the buck."
