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| A Starbucks in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, closed due to virus infections, in this Aug. 18 photo. The cafe reopened Monday after a two-week suspension. Yonhap |
By Bahk Eun-ji
Starbucks and other coffee chains here have emerged as a blind spot in the country's ongoing struggle to contain the coronavirus, according to health experts Monday. They said the authorities should force those operating coffee shops to take more aggressive measures to prevent COVID-19 infections among customers, and if new infections continue to occur, cafes should be closed, just as PC rooms and buffet restaurants have been shut down.
Early last week, the government enforced Level 2 social distancing measures including the closure of facilities in which the virus could spread most easily, such as PC rooms, nightclubs, karaoke rooms and buffet restaurants. However, cafes and restaurants are not included on the list of high-risk facilities even though outbreaks tied to such places have been reported in the capital area.
Experts warn that people need to be cautious when they visit coffee shops, otherwise the government will likely enforce measures such as banning customers from sitting in cafes and only allowing takeout orders.
"It could lead to serious consequences if the infection control rules are not followed in coffee shops ― as you can see from the outbreak that took place at a franchise cafe in Gyeonggi Province, near Seoul. Without cooperation from citizens, the government will need to take stronger measures to stop people from using them," said Jacob Lee, professor at the Infectious Disease Department of Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital.
As of Monday, 65 cases have been linked to a Starbucks in Paju. Earlier this month, more than 15 cases were reported in connection to a Hollys Coffee in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Closed spaces especially pose a high risk of infection. Disease control authorities also said air conditioning may raise the risk of infection in closed environments.
In the case of the Starbucks outbreak in Paju, health authorities suspect the air conditioning could have potentially aided the spread of the virus. According to Paju officials, the initial customer who had COVID-19 visited the store and sat close to an air conditioner on the second floor of the shop, and it is believed the virus was transmitted by the air-conditioner breeze.
Referring to the Starbucks case, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) chief Jeong Eun-kyeong said "The people infected with the virus were not infected through aerosol transmission, but droplet transmission which is fairly possible in such a confined space. In addition, the virus could have spread via hand contact as well."
In an effort to contain the virus at its stores, Starbucks officials said the company follows infection control rules such as reducing the number of tables and seats at the stores to increase the distance between customers and prevent too many people from gathering. To promote awareness of the importance of wearing masks inside Starbucks, an announcement encouraging customers to wear masks is played regularly throughout the day at each store.
"It is actually difficult to draw the line between customers drinking and having conversations, but we strongly advised our employees to guide users of our stores to wear a mask while they are staying inside," a Starbucks official said.
