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| How’s Your Quarantine? If No One’s Banging Gongs, Count Your Blessings | How’s Your Quarantine? If No One’s Banging Gongs, Count Your Blessings |
| (12 days later) | |
| YONGIN, South Korea — Spending two weeks quarantined in a hotel room is not a pleasant experience, as thousands of people who’ve flown internationally since the pandemic began can attest. | YONGIN, South Korea — Spending two weeks quarantined in a hotel room is not a pleasant experience, as thousands of people who’ve flown internationally since the pandemic began can attest. |
| But the 300 foreigners confined to a Ramada hotel in Yongin, South Korea, have it worse than most. | But the 300 foreigners confined to a Ramada hotel in Yongin, South Korea, have it worse than most. |
| Each day for the past week, from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., protesters outside the hotel have been raising a deafening noise with drums, brass gongs and loudspeakers blaring music. They are local residents, angry that the government chose a hotel in their neighborhood as a quarantine site. | Each day for the past week, from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., protesters outside the hotel have been raising a deafening noise with drums, brass gongs and loudspeakers blaring music. They are local residents, angry that the government chose a hotel in their neighborhood as a quarantine site. |
| “Even with double-glazed windows, they can still be heard when the windows are closed,” said James Martin Thompson, an app developer from Washington, from his fifth-floor room in the hotel, the Ramada by Wyndham Yongin. | “Even with double-glazed windows, they can still be heard when the windows are closed,” said James Martin Thompson, an app developer from Washington, from his fifth-floor room in the hotel, the Ramada by Wyndham Yongin. |
| “When you’re stuck in a small indoor space 24/7, being able to open the windows makes it much more bearable,” Mr. Thompson said. “And during much of the daytime, that isn’t practical with the noise coming from the demonstrators.” | “When you’re stuck in a small indoor space 24/7, being able to open the windows makes it much more bearable,” Mr. Thompson said. “And during much of the daytime, that isn’t practical with the noise coming from the demonstrators.” |
| On June 11, the South Korean government designated the Ramada as one of eight facilities where foreigners who arrive in the country with no Covid-19 symptoms are quarantined for two weeks. | On June 11, the South Korean government designated the Ramada as one of eight facilities where foreigners who arrive in the country with no Covid-19 symptoms are quarantined for two weeks. |
| Three days later, a foreigner quarantined at the hotel tested positive for the coronavirus. Since then, residents of the neighborhood, called Jeondae-ri, have been accusing the government of recklessly exposing them to infection. | Three days later, a foreigner quarantined at the hotel tested positive for the coronavirus. Since then, residents of the neighborhood, called Jeondae-ri, have been accusing the government of recklessly exposing them to infection. |
| On June 27, protesters began their daily noisemaking campaign in front of the 18-story hotel, hoping to force the authorities to send the foreigners elsewhere. | On June 27, protesters began their daily noisemaking campaign in front of the 18-story hotel, hoping to force the authorities to send the foreigners elsewhere. |
| “They turned the hotel into a quarantine center without any consultation with local residents,” said Ye Jeong-gyu, one of the protest leaders. “We didn’t find out about it until there was a sudden drop in the number of people visiting here, because our neighborhood has become a place to avoid since the case was discovered.” | “They turned the hotel into a quarantine center without any consultation with local residents,” said Ye Jeong-gyu, one of the protest leaders. “We didn’t find out about it until there was a sudden drop in the number of people visiting here, because our neighborhood has become a place to avoid since the case was discovered.” |
| A large banner that protesters hung in front of the Ramada read, “This is a hotel that produced a confirmed Covid-19 case. Shut it down immediately!” Other banners called on residents to “protect our right to livelihood” by joining the protest. | A large banner that protesters hung in front of the Ramada read, “This is a hotel that produced a confirmed Covid-19 case. Shut it down immediately!” Other banners called on residents to “protect our right to livelihood” by joining the protest. |
| Under the government’s regulations, people quarantined in hotels cannot leave their rooms, and they can come to the door only four times a day — three times to pick up meals left by staff, and once to leave trash outside. Closed-circuit cameras monitor the Ramada’s corridors, and entrances are watched by police around the clock so that no one comes or goes without permission. | Under the government’s regulations, people quarantined in hotels cannot leave their rooms, and they can come to the door only four times a day — three times to pick up meals left by staff, and once to leave trash outside. Closed-circuit cameras monitor the Ramada’s corridors, and entrances are watched by police around the clock so that no one comes or goes without permission. |
| That leaves the foreigners with little hope of escaping the daily torment, even if they wanted to try. | That leaves the foreigners with little hope of escaping the daily torment, even if they wanted to try. |
| Mr. Thompson, 59, whose quarantine began Sunday, has asked to be moved to a room at the back of the hotel, away from the protest site. But nearly every room was already taken by others in quarantine, and his request was rebuffed. | Mr. Thompson, 59, whose quarantine began Sunday, has asked to be moved to a room at the back of the hotel, away from the protest site. But nearly every room was already taken by others in quarantine, and his request was rebuffed. |
| The only suggestion that government officials could offer was to keep his windows shut, he said. He has been using noise-canceling headphones and a white-noise app to cope. | The only suggestion that government officials could offer was to keep his windows shut, he said. He has been using noise-canceling headphones and a white-noise app to cope. |
| “I feel sorry for residents who didn’t come equipped with them,” he said. | “I feel sorry for residents who didn’t come equipped with them,” he said. |
| Oh Sung-il, an official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare who oversees the quarantine at the Ramada, said protesters’ worries that Covid-19 might spread from the hotel were groundless. The one foreigner who tested positive for the virus was quickly moved to a separate facility, and there have been no cases at the hotel since, Mr. Oh said. | Oh Sung-il, an official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare who oversees the quarantine at the Ramada, said protesters’ worries that Covid-19 might spread from the hotel were groundless. The one foreigner who tested positive for the virus was quickly moved to a separate facility, and there have been no cases at the hotel since, Mr. Oh said. |
| But the protesters said fear of infection was enough to threaten their livelihoods. | But the protesters said fear of infection was enough to threaten their livelihoods. |
| Restaurants, motels and other businesses in Jeondae-ri depend on visitors to nearby Everland, South Korea’s largest amusement park. They had already been badly hurt by the damage the pandemic did to Everland’s attendance figures. But things have gotten even worse since the Covid-19 case at the Ramada was confirmed, residents said. | Restaurants, motels and other businesses in Jeondae-ri depend on visitors to nearby Everland, South Korea’s largest amusement park. They had already been badly hurt by the damage the pandemic did to Everland’s attendance figures. But things have gotten even worse since the Covid-19 case at the Ramada was confirmed, residents said. |
| “Fewer people have stopped in our town as bad rumors about our town spread,” said Cha Ki-cheon, 59, who runs a 21-room motel in Jeondae-ri called Ever Park. “The rumor was more fearsome than the virus itself. If the government plans to run the quarantine center here until the epidemic is over, our local economy will be dead by then.” | “Fewer people have stopped in our town as bad rumors about our town spread,” said Cha Ki-cheon, 59, who runs a 21-room motel in Jeondae-ri called Ever Park. “The rumor was more fearsome than the virus itself. If the government plans to run the quarantine center here until the epidemic is over, our local economy will be dead by then.” |
| On Friday, dozens of protesters gathered for the daily vigil across the street from the Ramada, clanging gongs, shouting slogans and blaring protest songs through the loudspeakers. | On Friday, dozens of protesters gathered for the daily vigil across the street from the Ramada, clanging gongs, shouting slogans and blaring protest songs through the loudspeakers. |
| Many sat on the hot pavement and beat the ground with their shoes. They held signs condemning “evil forces that spread Covid-19.” The most earsplitting moment came when a dozen unionized truck drivers expressed solidarity by rolling slowly by in their big vehicles, blaring their horns. | Many sat on the hot pavement and beat the ground with their shoes. They held signs condemning “evil forces that spread Covid-19.” The most earsplitting moment came when a dozen unionized truck drivers expressed solidarity by rolling slowly by in their big vehicles, blaring their horns. |
| Updated July 7, 2020 | |
| The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization. | |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | |
| Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles. | |
| A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. | |
| The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | |
| Yongin, a city of about a million people south of Seoul, the capital, has been in talks with the central government about financial support for businesses near the Ramada, Mayor Baek Gun-gi said at a news conference on Tuesday. | Yongin, a city of about a million people south of Seoul, the capital, has been in talks with the central government about financial support for businesses near the Ramada, Mayor Baek Gun-gi said at a news conference on Tuesday. |
| Mr. Baek also said the city was looking for a new quarantine facility, farther away from residential areas. The Ramada has a three-month contract with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to house quarantined foreigners, but with no sign of the pandemic ending anytime soon, protesters fear the contract will be extended. | Mr. Baek also said the city was looking for a new quarantine facility, farther away from residential areas. The Ramada has a three-month contract with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to house quarantined foreigners, but with no sign of the pandemic ending anytime soon, protesters fear the contract will be extended. |
| The protesters are also demanding that the Ramada, which charges each person in quarantine about $100 a day, share some of the proceeds with the neighborhood, arguing that it is making money at the expense of other local businesses. The hotel’s management did not return calls seeking comment. | The protesters are also demanding that the Ramada, which charges each person in quarantine about $100 a day, share some of the proceeds with the neighborhood, arguing that it is making money at the expense of other local businesses. The hotel’s management did not return calls seeking comment. |
| Mr. Oh said the government was ready to talk with the protesters to help resolve their grievances. South Korea has won positive attention from around the world for its relatively successful efforts to curb the epidemic, and Mr. Oh expressed concern that the noise campaign would make the country look xenophobic. | Mr. Oh said the government was ready to talk with the protesters to help resolve their grievances. South Korea has won positive attention from around the world for its relatively successful efforts to curb the epidemic, and Mr. Oh expressed concern that the noise campaign would make the country look xenophobic. |
| Some of the protesters said they shared that concern, but that they had been left with little choice. | Some of the protesters said they shared that concern, but that they had been left with little choice. |
| “We are sorry for the foreigners kept in the hotel. We can imagine how miserable they may be because of our noise,” Mr. Ye said. “But we are not mad at them. We are protesting for our own safety and livelihood.” | “We are sorry for the foreigners kept in the hotel. We can imagine how miserable they may be because of our noise,” Mr. Ye said. “But we are not mad at them. We are protesting for our own safety and livelihood.” |
| Mr. Thompson said he had been traveling for the past year, mostly in Europe and East Asia, since giving up his Washington apartment and putting his things in storage. He has friends in South Korea and usually visits Seoul a couple of times a year. | Mr. Thompson said he had been traveling for the past year, mostly in Europe and East Asia, since giving up his Washington apartment and putting his things in storage. He has friends in South Korea and usually visits Seoul a couple of times a year. |
| “Being a digital nomad seemed like an exciting prospect, and it’s been a fantastic experience — at least until the pandemic travel restrictions threw a wrench into the works,” he said. He is less than thrilled with the food at the Ramada, where he said a typical breakfast included “cold and limp French fries and a mostly black banana.” | “Being a digital nomad seemed like an exciting prospect, and it’s been a fantastic experience — at least until the pandemic travel restrictions threw a wrench into the works,” he said. He is less than thrilled with the food at the Ramada, where he said a typical breakfast included “cold and limp French fries and a mostly black banana.” |
| “But I’m grateful to be where I am, even if it means being confined to a small space for a couple of weeks,” he said. “Given the situation in the U.S., it seems like I got out just in time.” | “But I’m grateful to be where I am, even if it means being confined to a small space for a couple of weeks,” he said. “Given the situation in the U.S., it seems like I got out just in time.” |