A person scans a credit card on a card reader before entering the GS25 DX LAB store in Yeoksam, south of Seoul, on June 30, 2022 (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 1 (Korea Bizwire) – The South Korean convenience store industry is undergoing a digital transformation, with local retailers racing to open stores installed with the latest retail technologies.
GS Retail, the operator of local chain store GS25, opened its first smart store called GS25 DX LAB in southern Seoul on Thursday.
The 190-square-foot space is filled with the latest retail technology developed by the company.
Customers can buy products using their face, get wine information at the touch of a palm, and watch customized commercials recommended by artificial intelligence, which can use its sensors to recognize a person’s gender and age.
After midnight, the store operates completely without staff, and customers must verify their identification with a credit card or via mobile identification methods before entering the store.
“I find it very convenient because I can only verify my ID with my credit card. You don’t have to download the app or go through multiple steps. I’ve seen this apply to other stores, especially those hoping to cut labor costs, ”said the 42-year-old software developer named Hong, who stopped by the GS25 store on Thursday around 1am to buy snacks on the way back to work.
In recent years, the South Korean retail industry has boosted its IT power through “smart” stores. Starting at 7-Eleven in 2017, BGF Retail opened a “technologically acceptable” CU store in Incheon in January 2021.
A few months later, Shinsegae Group opened an Emart 24 smart store in southern Seoul reminiscent of Amazon Go.
There, customers can enter, choose what they want and leave, while the store automatically detects products and charges them via a registered credit card.
In this photo, customers view products on the shelves of the first staffless Emart 24 store located at the COEX Mall in South Seoul on September 23, 2021 (Yonhap)
Industry officials said a rapid increase in the minimum wage in South Korea was to blame for such a trend.
The country’s minimum wage rose 41.6 percent from 2017 to 2022, and many store owners began replacing their part-time staff, especially night shift workers, with self-service kiosks to cut labor costs.
Last month, South Korean labor and government officials agreed to set a minimum hourly wage of 9,620 won ($ 7.4) next year, an increase of 5 percent from this year.
“The rapid increase in the minimum wage has burdened store owners, especially during night work. Many have switched to what we call a ‘hybrid model’ that works without human staff for certain hours, ”a 7-Eleven spokesman said.
A boon in unmanned shops and contactless services since the pandemic also had an effect, they explain. As of May this year, there were about 2,643 practical stores operating in “hybrid” form, according to CU, GS25, Emart 24 and 7-Eleven.
Although technology is there, we have a long way to go before stores can be completely staffless, industry insiders say, as physical stores will always need human staff to manage inventory, keep the place clean and respond to customer inquiries.
Fully automated stores, such as Emart 24’s Smart Store and Amazon Go, where customers can buy products without checking out at the checkout, require at least 10 times the cost to open regular stores, explained GS Retail official Hwang Joonseok.
“But we expect digitization to continue in the long term. These smart stores exist to test these technologies and reduce errors before they are commercialized,” said Lim Soo-bin, an official from Emart 24.
Are smokers more likely to develop severe disease with COVID-19?
Tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for many respiratory infections and increases the severity of respiratory diseases. Read also : Current Brief: COVID czar Ashish Jha on the future of the US virus. A review of studies by public health experts convened by the WHO on 29 April 2020 found that smokers are more likely to develop severe disease with COVID-19 compared to non-smokers.
Am I at risk of serious complications from COVID-19 if I smoke cigarettes? That. Data show that compared to never smokers, cigarette smoking increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19, which can result in hospitalization, the need for intensive care, or even death.
Who are at higher risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19?
Older people and those with underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer are more likely to develop serious illnesses. To see also : New South Providence’s new healthy food site aims to address local food insecurity.
Which groups of people are at increased risks of severe illness from COVID-19?
Among adults, the risk of severe disease from COVID-19 increases with age, with the elderly at greatest risk. Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or may even die. People of any age with certain medical conditions are also at increased risk of severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Who is at greatest risk of infection from COVID-19?
Currently, people who have had prolonged, unprotected close contact (ie, within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) of a patient with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of whether the patient has symptoms, are at greatest risk of infection.
Are smokers more likely to contract COVID-19?
Cigarette smoking can make smokers more susceptible to respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, which is why there has never been a better time to quit smoking. This may interest you : OHA: Climate change anxiety plays a big role in a youth mental health crisis. The FDA’s Every Try Counts campaign includes tips and tools to help smokers get closer to permanent smoking cessation.
Who is most at risk for the coronavirus disease?
Older adults are at greatest risk of developing severe COVID-19. More than 81% of deaths from COVID-19 occur in people over 65 years of age. The number of deaths among people over the age of 65 is 97 times higher than the number of deaths among people aged 18 to 29.
Can smoking increase the risk of serious COVID-19 disease?
Early research shows that, compared to non-smokers, smoking can significantly increase the chances of harmful health outcomes for patients with COVID-19, including admission to intensive care, requiring mechanical ventilation, and severe health consequences [1] [2]. It is already known that smoking is a risk factor for many other respiratory infections, including colds, flu, pneumonia, and tuberculosis [3]. The effects of smoking on the respiratory system increase the likelihood that smokers will develop these diseases, which could be more severe [4] [5]. Smoking has also been associated with the increased development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a key complication for severe cases of COVID-19 [6], among individuals with severe respiratory infections [7] [8]. Any type of tobacco smoking is harmful to the body’s systems, including the cardiovascular and respiratory systems [9]
Does vaping increase the risk of serious illness from COVID-19?
As with cigarette smoking, vaping can also compromise the respiratory system. This means that people who smoke or cry are more susceptible to lung infections. According to Dr. Choiu, recent studies have shown that aldehydes and other components found in vaping fluids can impair the immune function of cells found in the airways and lungs. ”Everything we breathe goes straight into the airways and lungs, which is different from our heart, our liver and our kidneys which are protected. But the lungs are exposed to the environment, so the lungs and airways have a defense mechanism against that. What vaping does disrupts this lung’s defense mechanism, says Dr. Choi. Ingredients in vaping fluids, especially in flavored electronic cigarettes, can affect airway cell function and suppress the lungs ’ability to fight infection.
Do smoking and vaping increase your risk of COVID-19?
Cigarette smoking and vaping are associated with pneumonia and decreased immune function. Both potentially increase the risk for a more serious response if exposed to COVID-19.
What can I do to prevent COVID-19 during grocery shopping?
• Clean your hands with disinfectant before entering the store. • Cover coughing or sneezing with your bent elbow or handkerchief. • Keep a distance of at least 1 meter from others, and if you cannot maintain that distance, wear a mask (many stores now require a mask) • When you return home, wash your hands thoroughly even after handling and storing purchased products.
How can I stay safe while shopping for groceries? Keep at least six feet away from other customers. Do not shake hands, hug or have any physical contact. Wipe grocery carts or basket handles with disinfectant wipes if you have them. Do not touch your face. Wear a canvas face mask. While you wait and after leaving the store, use a hand sanitizer if you have one.
Is it safe to shop for food during the COVID-19 pandemic?
As grocery shopping remains essential during this pandemic, many people have questions about how to shop safely. We want to reassure consumers that there is currently no evidence that human or animal food or food packaging is linked to the transmission of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Can I get the coronavirus from food, food packaging, or food containers and preparation area?
There is currently no evidence that food, food containers, or food packaging are linked to the transmission of COVID-19. Like other viruses, it is possible for the virus that causes COVID-19 to survive on surfaces or objects. If you are concerned about contamination of food or food packaging, wash your hands after handling food packaging, after removing food from packaging, before preparing food to eat, and before eating.
Can COVID-19 be transmitted through food?
There is currently no evidence that food or food packaging is linked to the transmission of the coronavirus. It’s important to recognize that unlike food-borne gastrointestinal (GI or stomach) viruses that often make people sick from contaminated food, coronavirus is a virus that causes respiratory (breathing-related) illness. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person.
Is carry out grocery or getting it delivered at home safe during COVID-19?
Food delivery and delivery Food delivery and delivery are generally considered low-risk activities for contracting or spreading COVID-19 and are a great way to support your local business community during these difficult times. However, there are steps you can take to further reduce your risk.
Can the coronavirus disease be transmitted through food and food packaging?
The USDA and FDA are sharing this update based on the best available information from scientific bodies around the world, including the ongoing international consensus that the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to humans through food and food packaging is extremely low.
Can you get the coronavirus disease from takeout food from a restaurant?
The virus is not foodborne, it is not a foodborne pathogen like the viruses and bacteria that cause what we often call “food poisoning.” This means that uncooked or cold food, such as salad or sushi, does not pose an additional risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
What are some precautions to take when storing groceries during the coronavirus disease pandemic?
Before eating, rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with rind and non-edible rind. Rub solid products with a clean product brush. For canned goods, be sure to clean the lids before opening. When you unpack, refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and other perishable foods — such as berries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms — within 2 hours of purchase. Regularly clean and disinfect kitchen worktops using a commercially available disinfectant product.
What precautions should I take while preparing food at home during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Wash hands, kitchen utensils and food preparation surfaces, including cutting boards and work surfaces, before and after fruit and vegetable preparation. Clean fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting or cooking, unless the packaging says the contents have been washed.
What are food handling guidelines for consumers during the coronavirus outbreak?
Consumers can follow CDC guidelines on frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; and frequently clean and disinfect surfaces. It is crucial to follow 4 key food safety steps – clean, separate, cook and refrigerate.
What are the organs most affected by COVID‐19?
The lungs are the organs most affected by COVID-19
Can the COVID-19 virus affect your kidneys? Does COVID-19 affect the kidneys? Yes. In addition to attacks on the lungs, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 â € ”officially named SARS-CoV-2 â €” can also cause serious and permanent injuries to other organs, including the heart and kidneys.
What does COVID-19 do to the lungs?
COVID-19 can cause pulmonary complications such as pneumonia and, in the most severe cases, acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS. Sepsis, another possible complication of COVID-19, can also cause long-term damage to the lungs and other organs.
Can COVID-19 cause lung injury?
Although most people recover from pneumonia without permanent lung damage, COVID-19-associated pneumonia can be serious. Even after the disease has passed, a lung injury can lead to breathing difficulties that could take months to heal.
How does COVID-19 affect the lungs?
The new coronavirus causes severe inflammation in your lungs. It damages the cells and tissue lining the air sacs in the lungs. These sacs are where the oxygen you breathe is processed and delivered to your blood. The damage causes tissue rupture and lung obstruction.
What are the most common organs affected by COVID-19?
The lungs are the major organs affected by COVID-19; however, the virus can also affect other organs, such as the kidneys, brain and liver. The lungs are the main organs affected by COVID-19.
Can COVID-19 damage organs?
COVID-19 can cause permanent damage to several organs, including the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and brain. SARS CoV-2 first affects the lungs through the nasal passages. When the lungs are severely affected, it can affect the heart.
Can COVID-19 infect parts of the body other than the lungs?
Although it is well known that the upper respiratory tract and lungs are the primary sites of SARS-CoV-2 infection, there are indications that the virus can infect cells in other parts of the body, such as the digestive system, blood vessels, kidneys, and, as this new study shows, mouth.
How COVID-19 infect the body?
The virus infects your body by entering healthy cells. There the attacker makes copies of himself and reproduces throughout your body. The new coronavirus binds its pointed surface proteins to receptors on healthy cells, especially those in your lungs.
Can you still test positive after recovering from COVID-19?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some people who become infected with COVID-19 may have the virus visible for up to three months, but that doesn’t mean they are contagious. However, when it comes to testing, PCR tests are more likely to continue to pick up the virus after infection.
Is COVID-19 infectious after 7 days?
Most people with COVID-19 are no longer contagious 5 days after they had their first symptoms and have not had a fever for at least three days.
Can I excercise outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic?
Do not exercise if you have a fever, cough and have difficulty breathing. Stay home and rest, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the instructions of your local health authority. If you can go for a walk or bike ride, always keep a physical distance and wash your hands with soap and water before leaving, when you get where you are going and as soon as you get home. If soap and water are not immediately available, use an alcohol-based hand cleanser.
Should I continue to exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic? There are numerous benefits to regular exercise for physical and mental health. A new coronavirus pandemic disrupts every aspect of life – and exercise routines are no exception. Closing parks, gyms and fitness studios due to COVID-19 makes exercise difficult. However, exercise is important for maintaining health, preventing weight gain, reducing stress, anxiety, and improving sleep. Some research even shows that regular exercise of moderate intensity may have benefits for boosting immunity, but the impact of exercise on sensitivity to COVID-19 is unknown.
Why the air at the gym may be more likely to spread COVID-19?
People with a higher level of fitness and more experience in endurance training exhaled 85% more aerosol than people without such training.
Are you safe to go to the gym during the COVID-19 pandemic?
If you are fully vaccinated, this means that you are more protected from COVID-19 â € ”which provides some flexibility in having to work again. However, you can also make a personal decision to remain cautious by continuing to exercise at home or outdoors.
Can COVID-19 spread through HVAC systems?
While airflow within a particular space can help spread the disease among people in that space, to date there is no definitive evidence that the live virus was transmitted through the HVAC system resulting in human transmission of the disease to other spaces served by the same system.
Does exercising reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes?
April 19, 2021 – Add another potential benefit to the recommended amount of physical activity each week: people who exercised regularly and then tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were less likely to experience more severe outcomes of COVID-19, a new study shows.
What are some of the things you can do to lower your chances of getting or spreading COVID-19?
Wash your hands well and often. Use hand sanitizer when you are not near soap and water. Try not to touch your face. Wear a face mask when you go out. Follow your community’s guidelines for staying home. When you go public, leave at least 6 feet of space between you and others.
Does exercise help cope with COVID-19 pandemic fatigue?
Even a simple walk can help. Exercise releases endorphins that relieve stress and strengthen our sense of satisfaction. Exercise also channels adrenaline when frustration builds up. If the air quality outside is poor, try yoga or a video of exercising in your home.
How did the COVID-19 economic crisis affect people during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent economic downturn have caused significant difficulties. In the first months of the crisis, tens of millions of people lost their jobs. While employment began to recover within a few months, unemployment remained high during 2020.
How many times can I get COVID-19? ‘Long-term pattern’ According to some infectious disease researchers, Covidom-19 re-infections are likely to become more common as time goes on and different variants continue to circulate — and some people may experience a third or fourth re-infection within a year.
What effect does the COVID-19 pandemic have on people’s personal lives?
Along with other daily steps to prevent COVID-19, physical or social distancing is one of the best tools we have to avoid exposure to this virus and slow its spread. However, moving physically away from someone you love—such as a friend, family, work colleague, or worshiping community—can be difficult. It can also cause a change in plans – for example, going on virtual job interviews, meetings or campus tours. Young adults may also have trouble adjusting to new social routines—from choosing to skip in-person gatherings to constantly wearing masks in public. It is important to support young adults in taking personal responsibility to protect themselves and their loved ones.
How does the COVID-19 pandemic affect mental health?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may experience stress, anxiety, fear, sadness and loneliness. Mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, may worsen.
Can you contract COVID-19 from kissing?
Well yes. The virus that causes COVID-19 travels in saliva, so of course exchanging saliva with an infected person could transfer the virus to you.
Can you contract COVID-19 from kissing?
Well yes. The virus that causes COVID-19 travels in saliva, so of course exchanging saliva with an infected person could transfer the virus to you.
Can you contract COVID-19 through sexual intercourse?
While there is currently no evidence that the COVID-19 virus is transmitted through semen or vaginal fluids, it has been detected in the semen of people who have recovered from COVID-19. We would therefore recommend avoiding any close contact, especially very intimate contact such as unprotected sex, with a person with active COVID-19 to reduce the risk of transmission
How long does it take on average for COVID-19 symptoms to appear?
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of reported symptoms – from mild symptoms to severe disease. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
Can I still have sex during the coronavirus pandemic?
If you’re both healthy and well, practice social distancing, and haven’t known anyone with COVID-19, touching, hugging, kissing, and sex are more likely to be safe.
Does the COVID-19 virus live for long on clothing?
Research suggests that COVID-19 does not survive long on clothing, compared to hard surfaces, and exposure to the virus in heat can shorten its life. A study published in found that at room temperature COVID-19 could be detected on fabric for up to two days, compared with seven days for plastic and metal.
When can I have sex after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Therefore, it is very unlikely that you will become very ill or die from COVID-19 after you have been fully vaccinated (meaning that at least 2 weeks have passed since the last vaccination). This means that most fully vaccinated people can safely return to what they did before the pandemic, including going out and having sex.
What is the percentage of people who need to be immune against COVID-19 in order to achieve herd immunity?
We are still learning about immunity to COVID-19. Most people who are infected with COVID-19 develop an immune response within the first few weeks, but we do not know how strong or lasting that immune response is or how it varies in different people. It was also reported that people were infected with COVID-19 for the second time. Until we better understand immunity to COVID-19, we will not be able to know how immune the population is and how long that immunity lasts, let alone make predictions for the future. These challenges should prevent any plans that try to increase immunity within the population by allowing people to become infected.
What does herd immunity mean? Herd immunity exists when so many people are infected and become immune – or immunized by vaccination – that the chain of infection is broken.
How can herd immunity protect us from COVID-19?
Herd immunity or community immunity is when a large portion of the population of an area is immune to a particular disease. If enough people are resistant to the cause of the disease, such as a virus or bacteria, it has nowhere to go.
What is herd immunity in the context of COVID-19?
Simply put, herd immunity means that much of the community is immune to the disease, making further spread of the disease unlikely. Immunity is gained by building antibodies after infection with a virus or vaccine.
Is herd immunity the goal of the COVID-19 vaccine?
“The goal of vaccination is not really collective immunity. That is ultimately a good goal, but the goal of the current vaccination against COVID is to protect the people around you and yourself, said Dr.
What is the recommended herd immunity percentage for COVID-19?
As for the percentage of collective immunity to COVID-19, experts estimated early on that it would be necessary to vaccinate between 70% and 85% of people in order to achieve collective immunity. But now experts say we are unlikely to achieve collective immunity for COVID-19.
How does herd immunity protect the most vulnerable members of the population from COVID-19?
Herd immunity protects the most vulnerable members of our population. If enough people are vaccinated against dangerous diseases, those who are susceptible and cannot be vaccinated are protected because the germ will not be able to “find” those susceptible individuals.
What is the COVID-19 immunity threshold for herd immunity?
Experts estimate that the threshold of immunity to coronavirus is somewhere between 70% and 90%. But in communities where physical distancing at home or at work is more difficult, the threshold is higher than in areas where people can be easily isolated and given testing and treatment.
Why is herd immunity important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of the population becomes immune to an infectious disease, usually through vaccination – limiting the risk of transmitting the infection through the community from person to person.
What is herd immunity?
The general concept of collective immunity implies that the transmission of infectious agents can be mitigated, except in the case of sporadic outbreaks, because a certain proportion of the population is already protected by vaccination or previous infection.
Could Herd Immunity protect us?
Herd immunity occurs when a large part of the population – the herd – is immune to the virus. This can happen either because these people have been vaccinated or have already been infected. Herd immunity makes it difficult for the virus to spread. So even those who have not been sick or vaccinated have some protection.
