Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters of the Republic of Korea

In Korea, COVID-19 was first reported on January 21, 2020. After that, the number of infected people began to increase. After the intensive control measure, the number of infections was stabilized for a while. Therefore, the Korean Government introduced the "distancing in daily life" for the maintenance of normal life from March 22, 2020. It aimed at providing the rules and guidelines on distancing in daily life for the control of COVID-19 in Korea. "Distancing in daily life" refers to a new, sustainable way of life and social interactions that prepares society against the possibility of long-run prevalence of COVID-19. It was designed to achieve the goal of infection prevention and containment while sustaining people's everyday life, economic, and social activities. All members of society and communities are called upon to engage in their respective responsibilities to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and safeguard everyone's health and well-being. The personal distancing in daily life scheme consists of 5 key rules: stay home for 3-4 days if you feel unwell; keep a distance of 2 arms' length from others; wash your hands for 30 seconds and cough or sneeze into your sleeve; ventilate at least twice a day and disinfect regularly; and, stay connected while physically distancing. The collective distancing in daily life for communities and organizations is supported by 5 key rules, and detailed guidelines set out for different types of facilities. All individuals and communities are obliged to abide by the rules and guidelines for distancing in their daily life.