If a COVID-19 case occurs at a facility, submitting the 'COVID-19 Occurrence Report' leads to immediate self-quarantine and facility closure as a 'preemptive measure'
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jeong Soon-gyun) will implement the 'Resident-Participatory Rapid Epidemiological Investigation' nationwide for the first time starting on the 24th.
The Resident-Participatory Rapid Epidemiological Investigation is a 'confirmed case occurrence reporting system' led by residents rather than authorities.
Previously, when a confirmed case occurred, the public health center would first conduct an epidemiological investigation including personal information and movement paths of the confirmed case, then assess the risk level of contacts and take administrative measures such as self-quarantine.
This method took from one day up to two days to take action after a confirmed case occurred. Especially when confirmed cases from other regions used facilities in Gangnam-gu, it could take up to a week, causing inconvenience to both the facilities and related parties.
The improved 'Rapid Epidemiological Investigation' allows the facility where a confirmed case occurred to first submit a 'COVID-19 Occurrence Report' through the Gangnam-gu Office website. Then, the district public health center contacts the reporter and quickly notifies whether contacts should self-quarantine and whether the facility should be closed. The purpose is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible through rapid preliminary measures. During the one-month pilot operation, it took less than 24 hours from receiving the report to administrative action, significantly reducing the time for businesses to resume operations.
While preliminary measures such as notifying self-quarantine, facility closure, and disinfection are taken, the existing Gangnam-gu Public Health Center epidemiological investigation team simultaneously conducts a basic investigation (confirmed case personal information and symptom check) and an in-depth epidemiological investigation (confirmed case movement and contact verification) to supplement any parts not covered in the preliminary measures.
All facilities and businesses located in Gangnam-gu where confirmed cases occur can download the form from the Gangnam-gu Office website and submit the 'COVID-19 Confirmed Case Occurrence Report' and receive notification of measures within 24 hours.
Jeong Soon-gyun, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, said, “Gangnam is the city with the largest floating population, reaching 1.07 million daily economic activity population. Under the principle of 'early detection, early blocking,' the 7th local government of Gangnam-gu has always established a leading response system.” He added, “Through the 'Resident-Participatory Rapid Epidemiological Investigation,' introduced nationwide for the first time, we ask for the cooperation of citizens so that the public and private sectors can efficiently respond together to the spread of COVID-19.”
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