The government of South Korea recently put on a dazzling drone display to thank people for their efforts in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, while also reminding them not to let up.
The nation received global praise early on in the pandemic for acting quickly and robustly to slow its spread, with only 284 deaths having so far been attributed to the virus in a nation of just over 50 million people.
As a show of appreciation, the government recently organized a light show using drones in the capital city, Seoul.
Three hundred of the flying machines, each one decked out with LED lights, blazed a trail in the night sky to create glittering patterns, as well as drone-animated messages asking people to socially distance or wear masks, and to retain hand-washing habits to help slow the spread of the virus.
The 10-minute event also included messages of thanks for front-line health care workers who’ve been working tirelessly to deal with the more than 13,000 COVID-19 cases that have been reported in the country to date.
According to France24, the government declined to publicize the drone show to prevent large crowds gathering that could have led to a breakdown in social distancing behavior. While plenty of people in the city enjoyed the show as it happened, many others shared it on social media and streaming services such as YouTube, ensuring the message reached as many folks as possible among South Korea’s well-connected population.
In June, the government required face coverings to be worn on all buses and subways, as well as in taxis, as part of measures to fight the spread of the virus. They must also be worn on all domestic flights, and international flights departing or arriving in the country.
At its peak in March 2020, South Korea was reporting around 500 new cases per day, with aggressive tracking and testing, among other measures, enabling it to get on top of the outbreak.
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