Worried about forcing a child to be vaccinated? The first day of dissatisfaction with the mart quarantine pass

Enter 2022.01.10 21:00
Edited 2022.01.10 21:13

“QR code familiarity”… There is no major confusion when entering
Dissatisfaction with the application of the ‘Quarantine Pass’
Administrative Court Suspension of Execution is in Progress for Effectiveness

A hypermarket in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the 10th, the first day the quarantine pass was applied to the hypermarket. A notice regarding the implementation of the quarantine pass has been installed. [사진=이미경 기자]

On the first day that the quarantine pass was applied to large marts, complaints regarding its effectiveness erupted here and there. Rather than the inconvenience of having to prove whether or not vaccinations have been made, there were greater doubts regarding whether the quarantine pass, which was implemented as a policy while restricting some basic rights, was actually effective.

There is no confusion regarding entering by scanning the QR code… “Is it effective?”

On the 10th, visitors to a large supermarket in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul followed the staff’s instructions, took a QR code and entered the store following proving that they had been vaccinated. There was no big confusion because you had to scan the QR code before entering, but there were several consumers expressing doubts regarding the inclusion of large-scale marts in the application of the quarantine pass itself.

A hypermarket in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the 10th, the first day the quarantine pass was applied to the hypermarket. A visitor scans a QR code to enter the store. [사진=이미경 기자]

Mo Im in his 50s, a consumer in his 50s who visited the store that day, said, “It is not difficult to enter the store following taking a QR code.” He added, “My husband didn’t get the vaccine for health reasons, so we mightn’t come to the mart together.”

From this day, the quarantine pass will be applied to large marts, shopping malls, and department stores larger than 3,000 square meters. Only consumers who have been vaccinated once morest the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) can enter the store, and those who have not received the vaccine must present a negative PCR test issued within 48 hours.

Those who have recovered from COVID-19 or who are not covered by the quarantine pass for medical reasons must present a confirmation of release of quarantine or an exception confirmation. Without the confirmation, a person who is not vaccinated cannot use a large-scale store alone. Children and adolescents under the age of 18 are exempt from the quarantine pass, and can use large-scale stores regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not. The authorities will operate as a guidance period until the 16th due to concerns regarding on-site confusion, and from the 17th, fines for negligence will be imposed.

Concerned regarding “the quarantine pass will be applied to children as well”… ‘Litigation in progress’

A visitor is looking around the mart with his child on the 10th, the first day that the quarantine pass was applied to large marts. [사진=이미경 기자]

It was pointed out that applying the quarantine pass to large marts that mainly sell daily necessities is a rather excessive measure, and there are also concerns that the age range subject to the quarantine pass will be extended to children and adolescents.

Person A, who was looking around the toy section with her children, said, “I spend more time with my children, so I visit large marts, department stores, and shopping malls a lot.” will be,” he said.

Mr. Lee, who was looking around the children’s clothing section with elementary school children, also said, “Even though a national consensus on the quarantine pass has not been formed, the government has not applied it for now.” I’m worried regarding it,” he said.

Parent groups, including the Private Education Association, hold a press conference in front of the Seoul Administrative Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul last month, before submitting a complaint regarding the suspension of the quarantine pass. [사진=연합뉴스]

If the government includes children and adolescents under the age of 18 as the target of the quarantine pass, it is expected that more children and adolescents will be vaccinated to use facilities. On the 4th, the 8th administrative division of the Seoul Administrative Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jong-hwan) partially cited the application for suspension of execution made by the Federation of Private Education and the National Federation of Parents’ Organizations once morest the Minister of Health and Welfare.

Since then, the quarantine pass applied to private academies and reading rooms has ceased to be effective. According to the Ministry of Education, as of 00:00 on the 10th, the completion rate of the primary vaccination for teenagers aged 13 to 18 years old was 77.1%, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from last Friday, the 7th (76.5%). However, on December 31 and January 3, a week before the quarantine pass was applied to adolescents, it increased by 1.1 percentage points from 74.0% to 75.1%, respectively.

There is a possibility that the quarantine pass applied to large marts and department stores will be suspended. Last month, 1,023 people, including Professor Jo Doo-hyung of Yeungnam University Medical School, filed an application for suspension of execution along with a lawsuit to cancel the application of the quarantine pass. The reason was that the government puts restrictions on the overall use of social facilities for non-vaccinated people, and it might actually force them to vaccinate without going through clinical trials, leading to a mass production of severe patients and deaths. The court is expected to make a decision as early as this week. If the court cites suspension of enforcement of the quarantine pass, even those who are not vaccinated can freely use the facility.

Reporter Lee Mi-kyung, Hankyung.com [e-mail]