COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response at Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 8th. 2021.12.8 [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on the 8th, "Last week, the daily number of (COVID-19) confirmed cases exceeded 5,000, and today it surpassed 7,000, showing a fierce spread." This is the first time since the outbreak that the daily number of COVID-19 confirmed cases has exceeded 7,000.
On the same day, Prime Minister Kim chaired the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government office and stated, "Medical response capacity is rapidly being depleted." He expressed concern, saying, "In the metropolitan area, where 80% of the total confirmed cases are concentrated, hospital beds are continuously being expanded with active cooperation from the medical community, but it is difficult to keep up with the increasing number of confirmed cases."
In response, Prime Minister Kim said, "The government will significantly improve the current home treatment system to be patient-centered," adding, "Under the responsibility of deputy heads of cities, counties, and districts, administrative support personnel will be expanded, and the management medical institutions will be extended not only to hospitals but also to clinics, thereby strengthening the home treatment support system."
He also said, "We will expand the emergency transport system, establish short-term and outpatient treatment systems, and thoroughly supplement medical services such as mental health support," and added, "From early next year, oral antiviral drugs will also be prescribed to high-risk home treatment patients."
Prime Minister Kim stated, "In particular, the management period for co-isolated persons such as family members will be shortened from the current 10 days to 7 days, and additional living support funds will be provided in proportion to the number of household members to alleviate the inconvenience and burden caused by home treatment as much as possible."
People aged 60 and over account for 35% of all confirmed cases, and especially, the proportion of elderly among all critically ill patients reaches 84%. Prime Minister Kim expressed concern, saying, "The rapidly increasing infections among adolescents are threatening schools and entire families."
There are some complaints about the expansion of the vaccine pass to adolescents, effectively making vaccination mandatory. However, Prime Minister Kim explained, "(The government) did not make a unilateral decision," adding, "After analyzing and reviewing many cases from other countries, we concluded that expanding vaccination among adolescents is the way to protect both the students and our community, which led to this decision." He continued, "The education and quarantine authorities should persuade parents with scientific evidence regarding the safety of adolescent vaccination," and ordered, "Prepare various support measures such as on-site school vaccination to increase students' participation in vaccination."
Regarding the re-strengthened quarantine measures starting this week, he said, "I am very worried that small business owners and self-employed people may suffer again," but added, "We know well from past experience that if quarantine falters, livelihoods will also be shaken. Until the end of the year, I ask all community members to actively cooperate and participate in quarantine."
He also said, "The government will devise various support measures to prevent the burden on small business owners and self-employed people from increasing due to strengthened quarantine," and urged, "Since the budget for next year has been finalized, related ministries such as the Ministry of SMEs and Startups should prepare in advance so that support projects for small business owners and self-employed people can be implemented promptly at the beginning of the year."
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