Unprecedented Spread "Peak at 100,000 Cases... Need to Expand Prescriptions of Oral Antiviral Treatments"

[Omicron Dominance Realized]
"Cases May Double Weekly"

Lowering Age for Treatment Prescriptions
COVID Care at Local Clinics
Government Shifts to 'Omicron Response' Quarantine System

On the 21st, when 6,769 new COVID-19 cases were reported, citizens visiting the temporary screening clinic at Sogang University Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul, are waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy reporters Chunhee Lee and Daehyun Kim] The Omicron COVID-19 variant is spreading faster than expected. While hundreds of thousands of confirmed cases are being reported daily overseas, concerns are rising that the number of confirmed cases in South Korea will reach 10,000 within 2 to 3 days. The government plans to activate emergency measures such as expanding the eligibility for oral antiviral treatments and allowing local clinics and hospitals to provide COVID-19 care.

"The peak will exceed 100,000 confirmed cases"

According to the quarantine authorities on the 21st, the transmissibility of Omicron is 2 to 3 times higher than previous variants, and the spread of Omicron in South Korea is rapidly accelerating. In Gwangju, Jeonnam, and the cities of Pyeongtaek and Anseong in Gyeonggi Province, Omicron infections have already become dominant, accounting for more than half of cases.

Professor Jaehoon Jung of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Gachon University College of Medicine said, "The speed of the outbreak is increasing very rapidly," adding, "The phenomena predicted by existing models are appearing more than two weeks earlier." As of midnight on the 19th, confirmed cases numbered 5,804, a 32.4% increase compared to the previous week, but on the 20th, the number rose sharply to 6,603, a 58.5% increase from the previous week, showing a very rapid increase in cases. Professor Jung predicted, "Next week, nearly 10,000 confirmed cases are expected, and for the time being, the number of confirmed cases will increase by 0.5 to 2 times weekly. Without special adjustments in quarantine measures, the maximum peak will exceed 100,000 cases."

Countries overseas that faced the Omicron surge earlier are also experiencing chaos due to the rapid increase in confirmed cases. France recently reported an average of 320,000 daily COVID-19 cases and has mandated that from the 24th (local time), only those vaccinated or with antibodies can enter multi-use facilities. Japan, which recorded 46,000 new cases, has extended emergency measures requested by local government heads, including shortened business hours and restrictions on alcohol service at restaurants, until the 13th of next month.

On the other hand, the UK, where cumulative deaths have surpassed 150,000, considers the outbreak to have peaked and has introduced measures to return to normal life, such as lifting mask mandates and removing the requirement for vaccination proof or negative test confirmation (quarantine pass) at large events.

COVID-19 care available at local clinics

The government is also hastening preparations in anticipation of the full-scale Omicron outbreak. The key oral antiviral treatment, Paxlovid, will have its eligibility gradually expanded. Currently, prescriptions are mainly limited to high-risk groups such as those aged 65 and older and immunocompromised individuals. However, there are 23 ingredients that should not be taken together with Paxlovid in South Korea alone, and many high-risk patients have underlying conditions such as angina, hyperlipidemia, and arrhythmia, which involve medications that interact with Paxlovid, resulting in only 109 patients having received the treatment by the 20th, indicating prescription limitations.

The government plans to lower the age eligibility to 60 and above and continuously promote treatment for all age groups. Professor Eunmi Cheon of Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "Clear guidelines on contraindicated drugs for treatment eligibility must be provided," adding, "Since it can be administered to those aged 12 and older, usage should be increased in the field."

Regarding the quarantine medical system, the shift will be made from government-centered to community and general medical institutions. A system where local clinics and hospitals directly provide COVID-19 care is expected to be established. Professor Cheon advised, "To achieve this, clinics should be grouped in units of 10 to 20 to establish an evening 'on-call system' to ensure stable service," and added, "Rapid antigen tests should be distributed free of charge to places with group living such as nursing hospitals, detention centers, and schools to reduce the risk of infection exposure."

Research Fellow Youngwook Jang of the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy said, "We need to establish a system that allows COVID-19 care in daily life and communicate effectively so that people accept this system," and "We should continue to recommend vaccination for high-risk groups such as unvaccinated elderly people, and for adults under 60, rather than applying mandatory measures, emphasize the benefits of vaccination so individuals can choose to get vaccinated."