Dongdaemun-gu, All-Out Effort to Prevent Secondary Infection Spread with Glove Wall

Blocking Contact Between Medical Staff and Testers... Specimen Collection Possible Without Protective Clothing

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) announced that it has renovated its screening clinics to ensure safe operation and protect medical staff in preparation for the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic during the summer season.

The existing screening clinics required medical staff wearing thick protective suits to directly contact testees and collect specimens, which caused fatigue from long hours in protective gear and raised concerns about secondary infections due to direct contact.

The newly introduced Glove Wall booths separate the medical staff and testees with transparent acrylic walls. Medical staff collect specimens through holes equipped with vinyl gloves, and disinfection is carried out immediately after testing.

A Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center official stated, “By completely separating the spaces and flow paths of medical staff and testees, specimen collection is possible without wearing thick protective suits, thereby blocking any potential secondary infection.”

Additionally, air conditioning can be operated, helping to reduce fatigue for medical staff during the hot summer months.

Along with this, the district has provided ice vests and ice mufflers to medical staff, completing preparations for stable operation of the screening clinics against the heat.

In March, when confirmed cases occurred at a PC bang, Dongdaemun-gu quickly identified all 934 users and conducted rapid mass testing, resulting in 3 positive cases and all others testing negative, successfully preventing further community spread and being recognized as a model case.

In particular, the district is thoroughly managing COVID-19 preventive daily quarantine and self-quarantine cases while promoting various measures to support the psychological well-being of residents amid the stagnation.

To support residents needing a mental health “vaccine” against COVID blues (depression), the district operates the “COVID-19 Integrated Psychological Support Team,” providing mental health counseling and assessments, screening high-risk groups, and linking them to medical institutions for treatment, offering comprehensive psychological support services.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “We have added facilities to the screening clinics to block secondary infection risks and protect residents and medical staff. We will continue to operate the screening clinics stably for the safety and health of residents and medical staff, and remain vigilant and thoroughly prepared until the situation is completely resolved.”