Exclusive App 'Emergency Ready'
Download Required to Receive Translation Notifications
Due to the group infection at Itaewon clubs, the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is rapidly increasing. On the 11th, a foreigner visiting the screening clinic at Yongsan-gu Public Health Center in Seoul is receiving guidance from medical staff. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] "If you visited clubs or commercial facilities in Itaewon, Ikseon-dong (Jongno-gu), Nonhyeon-dong (Gangnam-gu), etc., from April 24 to May 6, please refrain from going out and immediately contact the local public health center consultation center."
The foreigner-exclusive disaster information guidance application (app) 'Emergency Ready,' developed by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, has been receiving English emergency disaster alert messages containing such information sent by local governments since 8 a.m. on the 12th. This is to guide foreigners who visited these areas during the period to get tested and observe self-quarantine, as confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have been rapidly increasing, especially in Seoul's entertainment districts centered around Itaewon clubs.
When central government agencies and local governments draft emergency disaster messages in Korean, the 1330 Tourism Interpretation Call Center of the Korea Tourism Organization translates them and provides them through the Emergency Ready app. According to a business agreement between the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Korea Tourism Organization, since December last year, emergency disaster message translation services have been provided in English and Chinese to foreigners residing in Korea and inbound tourists.
The issue is effectiveness. A government official said, "Only foreigners who have downloaded the app on their phones can receive the emergency disaster message translation service," adding, "Otherwise, foreign visitors to the relevant areas have no choice but to see related news or be individually contacted by local governments to be guided for testing." Guidance for foreigners who speak languages other than English and Chinese is not provided through this app.
Quarantine authorities and local governments are racing against time to prevent further spread of COVID-19 cases originating from Itaewon clubs. As of the previous day, 5,517 people, including both foreigners and Koreans, were identified to have visited Itaewon clubs during the relevant period, with about 100 foreigners counted. The Seoul Metropolitan Government sent English guidance messages independently to 28 foreigners whose contact information was secured, and some underwent testing, but there are more cases where even locating them is difficult.
Itaewon is usually considered a tourist attraction for foreigners, so the actual number of visitors may be higher than this, or there is a possibility that the contact information provided when visiting clubs was false. Jeon Byung-yul, Dean of the Graduate School of Health Industry at CHA University, said, "Management and tracking of foreigners were very challenging during past infectious disease outbreaks such as the novel influenza," and added, "To minimize damage caused by possible contact with foreigners who visited Itaewon clubs, it is realistic to follow quarantine rules within the local community."
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