A son waves to his mother from behind a glass panel at a senior care facility in the central city of Daejeon on May 7, 2020, as he meets her without person-to-person contact one day ahead of Parents’ Day amid the spread of the new coronavirus. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — Families are being torn apart as the government is imposing stricter social distancing policies following the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak in August.
Currently, a majority of hospitals are refusing to allow family members to visit the intensive care unit.
Even in regular wards, only one guardian is allowed to stay, while others are often denied entry.
Newborn babies, too, are denied approach even by their parents once they enter the intensive care unit.
Convalescent hospitals and nursing homes have been designated as ‘high-risk facilities’, and have shut down all forms of visitations.
Postnatal care centers have also imposed stricter regulations on visits, preventing fathers from meeting with their wives and newborns.
Families with members living abroad have to wait at least six months before reuniting, because the 14-day quarantine required after entering the country makes it difficult for families to commit to traveling.
Military bases are restricting leave, overnight stays, outings and guest visits.
“I’ll probably have to spend Thanksgiving alone. I’m not even sure if I’d be able to see all of my family again,” said an individual referred to only as Kang, whose parents currently live in Japan, with his brother serving in the military.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
