Publication of 'Seocho Corona White Paper' Documenting Memories of the Past 365 Days

'COVID-19 365 Days Record: Seocho's S-Quarantine Shining Amid Crisis'... A Year of Seocho-gu's Response Records and Know-How to Guide Effective COVID and Infectious Disease Quarantine Policies

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] It has been one year since the unfamiliar term ‘COVID-19’ first emerged. Non-face-to-face interactions have become the norm, and masks have become essential, changing our daily lives and even the standards of our existence. Despite the unprecedented and severe crisis where everyone felt anxious and fearful due to COVID-19, Seocho-gu has been at the forefront of quarantine efforts, challenging itself to ensure residents' safety.

Seocho-gu (Mayor Cho Eun-hee) has published a white paper titled 'COVID-19: 365 Days of Records, Seocho’s S-Quarantine Shining Amid Crisis,' documenting its response over the past year.

From the early stages of quarantine, the district’s rapid and transparent disclosure of confirmed patients’ movement paths, comprehensive testing of overseas arrivals, pooled testing methods, untact screening clinics, and AI-powered fever-checking robots have been recognized as proactive and creative COVID-19 responses unique to Seocho. These efforts have been highly praised not only by domestic media but also internationally in countries such as the United States, France, and Turkey as exemplary quarantine cases.

This white paper systematically compiles Seocho-gu’s know-how over the past year, from the screening clinics established immediately the day after the first domestic confirmed case to the operation of temporary screening clinics where anyone can get tested in response to the third major wave.

In particular, it records Seocho’s unique proactive and creative response policies to prepare for the coming year and to serve as a textbook for disaster response, aiming to effectively cope with similar infectious disease outbreaks in the future.

The COVID-19 white paper, 'COVID-19: 365 Days of Records,' consists of six chapters and over 350 pages, systematically and comprehensively organized into five areas of quarantine policies led by the district: ▲Medical ▲Quarantine ▲Vulnerable groups ▲Livelihood stabilization ▲Communication.

Additionally, it includes expert evaluations and an analysis of the response process to objectively record strengths and weaknesses, while also considering improvements and new response strategies.

Moreover, it features vivid voices from the frontline, including medical staff, pharmacists, Seocho quarantine teams, restaurant owners visited by confirmed patients, and self-quarantined individuals?ten people sharing their firsthand experiences.

Seocho-gu, home to major multi-use facilities such as Central City, Express Bus Terminal, and Gangnam Station, has the second-highest floating population in Seoul and many overseas arrivals such as international students. Despite several crisis situations, proactive and meticulous quarantine activities have successfully curbed the spread.

Seocho-gu’s response, faster than that of the government and Seoul city during the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, has spread nationwide and become a standard.

On March 13 last year, Seocho-gu was the first in the country to conduct comprehensive COVID-19 testing for overseas arrivals. Following this, Seoul city incorporated testing for overseas arrivals into its policy starting April 2.

In April, Seocho-gu also became the first in Seoul to introduce pooled testing, conducting comprehensive tests on about 1,000 residents and workers in nursing hospitals vulnerable to infection.

Pooled testing mixes samples from multiple people and tests them at once; if positive, individual tests are conducted on remaining samples. This method later became the basic model for comprehensive testing of military recruits and asymptomatic groups in Seoul.

Furthermore, Seocho-gu was the first nationwide to provide business suspension support funds for multi-use facilities such as academies, karaoke rooms, and sports facilities, leading to nationwide participation. It also supported small business owners in COVID-19 blind spots with confirmed patient visit business support funds, ultra-fast loans, and free food waste collection.

In June, Seocho-gu made headlines by introducing AI fever-checking robots equipped with facial recognition technology to 51 elementary, middle, and high schools?the first in the nation. In September, preparing for the winter COVID-19 surge, untact screening clinics were established, enabling about 1,000 people daily to be tested safely and quickly with a state-of-the-art system. To ensure rapid and meticulous quarantine, epidemiological investigation specialists were expanded, and the ‘COVID-19 Rapid Response TF Team’ was operated.

In response to the third wave, to detect asymptomatic infections and halt the spread of COVID-19, Seocho-gu operates a total of 25 screening clinics?the largest number in Seoul?including six temporary screening clinics and 18 district screening clinics, the only ones nationwide. The maximum daily number of tests conducted is 2,086 at temporary screening clinics and 1,094 at district screening clinics.

During the past 17 days (December 29, 2020 ? January 14, 2021), a total of 28,916 tests were conducted, identifying 144 confirmed cases.

Among those tested, 14,602 (50.5%) were Seocho-gu residents and 14,314 (49.5%) were residents from other areas. Of the confirmed cases, 91 (63%) were Seocho-gu residents and 53 (37%) were from other areas.

Due to the nature of the area with a high floating population, testing targets include not only Seocho-gu residents but also visitors passing through Seocho-gu from other regions, allowing detection of infections among those passing through and making every effort to block community spread.

Seocho-gu Mayor Cho Eun-hee said, “This white paper, which contains Seocho-gu’s unique COVID-19 response know-how over the past year, will serve as a good guide for quarantine policies of basic local governments.” She added, “Through the publication of this white paper, we hope to share Seocho-gu’s response strategies and quarantine policies, continuously prepare for COVID-19, and respond more quickly and actively to future second and third pandemic situations. In this ongoing COVID-19 situation, we will tighten our shoelaces once again and do our best at the forefront of quarantine to create a safe society for all.”