Residents on Gangnam-gu's COVID-19 Response: "Direct Bus Operation and Selective Testing Are Very Effective" "Defense Is Strong Considering the Large Resident and Floating Population" Many Positive Evaluations
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] It has been five days since the COVID-19 vaccination began on the 2nd. Since the 26th of last month, visiting vaccinations have been conducted for residents under 65 and staff at five nursing facilities in Gangnam-gu. From the 2nd to the 8th, vaccinations are being carried out at eight nursing hospitals, including Gangnam-gu Public Happiness Nursing Hospital.
On the morning of the 2nd, I visited one of the nursing hospitals where vaccinations were taking place. All the recipients cooperated well, and no one reported significant discomfort or showed any adverse reactions.
Nursing hospitals with doctors on staff can conduct vaccinations internally. Gangnam-gu plans to conduct on-site inspections two to three times a month to ensure the safe handling of vaccines stored within these nursing hospitals.
Fortunately, there have been no reports of vaccine side effects in the region so far. Mild symptoms such as headaches or nausea may occur after vaccination but typically disappear within a day or two.
After vaccination, please do not leave the vaccination site immediately. Stay for about 30 minutes to monitor for any abnormalities. Remember that if you experience symptoms such as a high fever above 39℃ or difficulty breathing, you should seek medical attention immediately.
As of now, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine recipients in Korea has exceeded 23,000, with more than half located in the metropolitan area. The government began Pfizer vaccinations on the 27th of last month for medical staff and workers treating COVID-19 patients, including those at the Gangnam-gu Residential Treatment Center.
What is particularly noteworthy is that the government has become the first in the world to allow increasing the number of doses per vial by one or two at vaccination sites.
The quarantine authorities stated that using special syringes developed by domestic companies, the number of doses per vial of the Pfizer vaccine can be increased from 5 to 6?7, and for the AstraZeneca vaccine from 10 to 11?12 without issue.
As of midnight on the 2nd, there were 344 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Korea. Since the 19th of last month, the daily new cases have consistently fluctuated between 300 and 400.
The government is concerned that the acceleration of vaccinations might lead to psychological complacency. According to quarantine authorities, as of the 25th of last month, there were 142 confirmed cases of variant viruses domestically, with no additional cases since then. However, considering recently identified variants from New York, USA, the scope of analysis institutions will be expanded.
From the 2nd, the new school semester has started. Kindergarteners, first and second graders in elementary school, and third-year high school students attend school daily. Even young students are enduring discomfort by strictly wearing masks inside schools and following quarantine guidelines such as classroom ventilation. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank school officials, parents, and students in the region.
Gangnam-gu will continue to work with the education office to ensure that quarantine guidelines are strictly followed in all educational institutions in the area, including schools and academies, to protect students' health and safety.
Now, I will explain the current COVID-19 status and key policies in Gangnam-gu.
Here is the status of confirmed cases in Gangnam-gu. As of the 2nd, the number of confirmed cases reached 1,311. Cases 1304 and 1309?1311 are family members of previously confirmed Gangnam-gu residents. Cases 1306 and 1307 were infected through contact with confirmed cases from other regions, and case 1308 was confirmed positive after contact with a previously confirmed Gangnam-gu resident. Case 1305 was confirmed after exhibiting symptoms such as fever, but the infection route is unknown and is under epidemiological investigation.
As of the 2nd, Gangnam-gu is managing 987 self-quarantined individuals, of whom 765 are overseas arrivals and 222 are domestic contacts.
The cumulative number of specimen tests conducted at Gangnam-gu Public Health Center’s screening clinics and temporary screening sites is 227,666. On the 1st, among 1,622 tested individuals, 38 were overseas arrivals and 1,584 were domestic residents.
As of midnight on the 2nd, Seoul reported 120 new COVID-19 cases, maintaining around 100 cases daily for two weeks since the 17th of last month. ‘N-th transmission’ has been confirmed due to cluster infections in gatherings of acquaintances, workplaces, sports facilities, and medical institutions.
In this situation, Gangnam-gu recorded 232.43 confirmed cases per 100,000 people (as of 2.25), ranking 19th among the 25 autonomous districts, indicating relatively fewer confirmed cases.
Despite the high population density similar to New York and a daily working population of 1.07 million, which makes the area vulnerable to cluster infections, this favorable outcome is attributed to the active cooperation of residents and the effect of proactive specimen testing conducted from the early stages of the outbreak.
Gangnam-gu has conducted proactive random specimen testing for elderly residents and workers in nursing hospitals, nursing homes, and daycare centers. It also continues on-site inspections for vulnerable groups such as workers in call centers, multi-level marketing companies, foreign workers, and homeless people in enclosed and crowded facilities.
In this regard, Gangnam-gu commissioned a professional agency last year to conduct in-depth group interviews with three residents in their 20s?30s and five residents in their 40s?50s (‘Gangnam-gu Residents’ Happiness Linked to Happiness Indicators’, December 2020). Most interviewees positively evaluated Gangnam-gu’s proactive COVID-19 response.
Specifically, comments included, “The response is very good, such as operating buses directly for screening tests,” and “Considering the large resident and floating populations, the defense is well managed.”
On the other hand, some pointed out the lack of information in disaster text messages. We will consider ways to provide the best information possible within the scope that does not infringe on privacy.
Meanwhile, Gangnam-gu has designated four hotels in the area (Oakwood Premier Coex Center, Gangnam Family Hotel, InterContinental Seoul Coex, Hotel Prima) as ‘Safe Accommodations’ for families of quarantined individuals who wish to live separately outside. These have been in operation since last year. Families of self-quarantined individuals can inquire at Gangnam-gu Office or the hotels to receive discounted rates.
Although there have been many difficulties so far, residents are urged to remember that even a small lapse can lead to a large spread. Please strictly adhere to quarantine rules such as wearing masks and social distancing.
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