[imagesource: AFP]

Time and time again, in countries around the world, the easing of lockdown measures is followed by a wave of new cases.

In South Korea’s case, the story of the 29-year-old man who tested positive this past Wednesday is a great example of how one infected person can rapidly spread the disease.

Prior to showing symptoms, the man visited five nightclubs in Seoul, where he partied with around 7 200 other people.

As Vox reports, that was one jol that has far-reaching effects:

According to South Korean health officials, nearly 80 new Covid-19 cases have been linked to the man’s outing in the Itaewon neighborhood. And on Monday, officials announced 35 new confirmed infections — the highest total in about a month — of which 29 may have originated from those five nightclubs.

As a result, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Saturday ordered all restaurants and clubs indefinitely closed. “Carelessness can lead to an explosion in infections,” he said.

This means South Korea, one of the world’s top examples for how to combat the coronavirus, may soon become the poster child for the dangers of reopening a country.

“As soon as you let your foot off the brake, cases of this highly contagious coronavirus will take off, even in countries like South Korea,” Dr. Dena Grayson, a physician and pandemics expert, told me.

At one stage last month, South Korea seemed to be on top of things, and even held a nationwide election with no major public health repercussions.

Following on from that success, a decision was taken to ease the physical distancing restrictions initially imposed back in late March. Some of those easings of restrictions are now being walked back, and over the weekend Seoul ordered all bars and nightclubs in the city shut down indefinitely.

In short, it may be a long, long time before you’re forced to queue at a packed bar, trying desperately to attract the attention of anybody who will serve you a massively overpriced drink.

Unless you are keen to try out the Micrashell one day, which is a suit of sorts that the producers believe could be a fixture at festivals and gatherings down the line. More from Billboard:

Imagining what clubland might look like in a post-quarantine world, Production Club has conceptualized and created Micrashell, a first of its kind prototype personal protective equipment (PPE) suit designed specifically for nightlife.

Incepted by the executives of Production Club and fine-tuned by an international team of tech designers, MDs, physicists, system architects and fashion designers, Micrashell’s suit aims to give partygoers a glimpse of hope in regards to safely returning to in-person events — albeit, a dystopian, sci-fi film version of it.

Micrashell features an air-tight face shield design and intricate filtration system, with fun nightlife specific add-ons such as high-tech speakers, microphones, elements that allows wearers to vape and consume drinks without exposing themselves, and a wireless voice communication system based on proximity and orientation with user-controlled options for privacy.

Oh, you can vape? Wow, thanks.

The company put together this short video showing off the Micrashell:

Not for me, thanks.

Don’t worry, we are still a long way off that becoming a reality. Read more on the Micrashell here.

[sources:vox&billboard]