Recommendation for response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Korean context of “distancing in daily life,” considering vulnerable population

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an ongoing worldwide, including South Korea (hereinafter Korea), it is impossible to predict the duration of the pandemic. To stop the spread of COVID-19, “social distancing,” which included mandatory lockdown, and attention to personal hygiene are being adopted globally as non-pharmaceutical preventive strategies. In Korea, after maintaining strong social distancing rules for a while, the government transitioned to implementing “distancing in daily life” since May 6, 2020. The distancing in daily life was combined with infection prevention activities to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, while guaranteeing one’s daily life and economic activities. In this regard, the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Korea disclosed key rules for personal quarantine. The five key rules for individual infection control are as follows: to stay at home for 3–4 days if you feel unwell, keep a distance of two arms’ length from others, to wash your hands for 30 s and cough or sneeze into your sleeves, ventilate at least twice a day and disinfect regularly, and stay connected while physically distancing. However, for vulnerable populations, it is very difficult to follow such rules. Thus, we attempted to recommend how the society could support such vulnerable populations who may face difficulties in following these individual infection control rules. Through our recommendations for the weakest part of our society, we expect to strengthen the overall social structure.