Seoul City Implements 'Comprehensive Summer Measures' in 4 Major Areas of Quarantine and Safety Net... Vaccine Access Speed Increases

Implementation in 4 Major Areas: Health, Heatwave, Flood Control, Safety by October
70% Vaccination Target by October... Subway Maintains Highest Infectious Disease Prevention Level for Intensive Quarantine
Han River Citizen Park: Refrain from Eating and Drinking... Cooling Centers Operated for Heatwave-Vulnerable Groups

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will operate a comprehensive summer countermeasure plan covering four major areas?health, heatwaves, flood control, and safety?until October to establish a safety net against disasters and accidents. In particular, while accelerating efforts to vaccinate 70% of Seoul citizens against COVID-19, the city plans to maintain the public transportation disinfection system at a 'severe' level to manage it rigorously.

On the 13th, Seoul announced and began implementing the '2021 Summer Comprehensive Countermeasure Plan,' which focuses on 25 key tasks across four areas: health, heatwaves, flood control, and safety.

First, Seoul will speed up COVID-19 vaccinations. Following government guidelines, the city will prioritize vaccination targets and expand vaccinations sequentially, aiming to vaccinate 70% (6.06 million) of citizens aged 18 and over by October.

At the same time, Seoul will continuously strengthen the COVID-19 treatment system and response capabilities to establish a system capable of constant response even in the event of large-scale group infections. Currently, Seoul has secured 1,843 beds in infectious disease-dedicated hospitals, a 190% increase compared to last winter, and 2,439 beds in residential treatment centers for mild or asymptomatic confirmed cases, a 150% increase compared to last winter.

To prepare for increased outdoor outings and visitors, efforts will also be made to strengthen the public transportation disinfection system. Even if social distancing levels are lowered, Seoul will maintain the infectious disease prevention system at the highest 'severe' level, including disinfection cycles within subway stations, to create a public transportation environment where citizens can use services with peace of mind. Additionally, 376 additional air improvement devices will be secured to improve air quality inside subways.

At Hangang Citizen’s Park, a popular summer destination, the city recommends refraining from eating and drinking, encourages early return home, and conducts safety culture campaigns for social distancing. In particular, operation of large fountains and physical-contact fountains, which raise concerns about droplet spread, will be partially restricted. Furthermore, disinfection of park facilities such as information centers and stores will be strengthened.

Customized Heatwave Measures to Protect Vulnerable Groups such as the Elderly and Residents of Gosiwon

Customized heatwave measures focusing on protecting vulnerable groups such as the elderly, residents of gosiwon (small rooms), and homeless people will also be implemented. Cooling shelters will limit the number of users to 50% of maximum capacity according to quarantine rules to minimize close contact and will ensure thorough facility disinfection and quarantine.

For residents of gosiwon and street homeless, 13 exclusive cooling shelters for gosiwon residents and 2 outdoor cooling shelters near Seoul Station and Namdaemun gosiwon areas will be operated. For street homeless people, 11 cooling shelters will operate 24 hours a day.

Additionally, home care services will be provided for elderly people who have difficulty moving and are vulnerable to health issues and cannot use cooling shelters or welfare facilities. During heatwave alerts, 3,527 vulnerable elderly citizens will be contacted by 3,020 staff members via phone calls to convey heatwave information and check their safety. If calls are not answered, life support workers will visit their homes directly.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Flood Control Measures to Minimize Wind and Water Damage

Flood control measures to minimize wind and water damage will also be thoroughly implemented. The Wind and Water Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters consists of 13 task forces, including rescue and first aid teams, facility restoration teams, and disaster site environment maintenance teams, and will conduct three-stage emergency duty according to rainfall conditions.

From February to April this year, Seoul and autonomous districts held nine meetings to discuss preparations for the 2021 wind and water disaster countermeasures and completed comprehensive inspections and maintenance of vulnerable facilities such as rivers, flood control facilities, construction sites, and underground facilities. Cleaning of approximately 3,000 km of sewage pipes and 490,000 storm drains has been completed to maintain optimal conditions before the rainy season.

To prevent isolation accidents caused by river flooding during heavy rain, Seoul will operate a proactive river source control system. From the issuance of a preliminary heavy rain advisory, 1,231 river access facilities will be immediately blocked, and warning and alert systems will be activated to prevent citizens from entering rivers.

In blind spots of blocking facilities, a public-private joint 'River Patrol Team' will operate to prevent casualties. During heavy rain, a river patrol team of about 500 people will inspect 27 rivers in Seoul and promptly guide citizens found walking near rivers to evacuate safely.

Proactive Safety Measures for Disaster-Vulnerable Facilities

Seoul will also conduct thorough safety inspections of disaster-vulnerable facilities such as construction sites, transportation, water supply, and road facilities. In particular, safety inspections will be promoted for facilities such as campgrounds and performance venues to ensure citizens’ safe leisure during the vacation season.

Furthermore, this summer, programs at the Seoul Citizen Safety Experience Center, which were previously conducted only through on-site experiences, will be offered online for non-face-to-face participation.

Hwang Bo-yeon, Acting Director of the Seoul Planning and Coordination Office, said, “We will do our best to protect the health and safety of all citizens from COVID-19, heatwaves, and heavy rain this summer,” and added, “We ask all citizens to carefully follow infectious disease prevention rules such as social distancing, wearing masks, and hand washing, which can easily be neglected during the vacation season.”