The government will enforce special quarantine measures on department stores and large-scale retailers ahead of the Lunar New Year Holiday to prevent a spike in COVID-19 infections.   

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said on Sunday that they had related discussions after receiving a report from the Industry Ministry on quarantine measures for distribution facilities ahead of the holiday.

The government decided to enforce a set of antiviral measures on department stores and major retail outlets, including ventilation and disinfection of the facilities and mask wearing.

The government will also keep the ban on food tasting, product testing at cosmetics shops and in-store events that may attract crowds.

The government plans to conduct on-site inspections of major retailers every day until the end of the holiday on February 14.