Health authorities are discussing preemptively adopting harsher social distancing measures for the Seoul Metro Area, where a fourth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic has taken hold. 

Senior Health Ministry official Son Young-rae said on Thursday that the public may refrain from attending social gatherings as they take precautionary measures amid the current spike in infections. Still, results of such self-restraint may only become evident after a week, Son said.

He said heavy foot traffic in the densely populated capital region could trigger a rampant spread of the virus. Therefore, the government will make relevant adjustments based on infection trends, rather than wait for the upsurge to subside.
  
However, as the number of infections in Incheon show signs of leveling out, Son said the government is also considering the option of limiting the exacting measures to the capital.   

Seoul's daily average for the past week is just two cases shy of the 389 that would require Level Four protocols, the gravest of the new social distancing system, which would entail restrictive measures such as capping private gatherings to two people after 6:00 p.m. and requiring schools to revert to online classes. Weddings and funerals would be limited to family members. 

The greater capital region had postponed transitioning into the new four-tiered distancing system by a week on two occasions amid the spike in COVID-19 cases. The current level is set to run through July 14.