Gyeonggi-do Provides 'Infection Control Training' to 3,135 Care Facilities in Preparation for COVID-19 Resurgence

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will conduct infection control training for 3,135 long-term care facilities and nursing hospitals, which are vulnerable to infections, by October in preparation for the resurgence of COVID-19.

This training involves instructors from Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Centers in Suwon, Anseong, Icheon, Uijeongbu, Paju, and Pocheon, Seongnam City Medical Center, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, and Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service Ansan Hospital.

The province announced on the 28th that it will conduct on-site group training, on-site consulting, and online training through the Gyeonggi Lifelong Learning Portal Knowledge (GSEEK) for all managers and workers of 3,135 infection-vulnerable facilities such as long-term care facilities and nursing hospitals in the province.

The province plans a total of 20 group training sessions focused on facility managers this year. Starting with training on April 18 at Seongnam City Medical Center for facility managers in the Yongin and Seongnam areas on how to respond to infectious disease outbreaks, 11 sessions (316 people) have been held so far.

The province will also hold a total of 80 on-site consulting sessions mainly for facility workers. Key training includes practice on putting on and taking off personal protective equipment, facility-tailored education (designing isolation zones and movement routes according to on-site situations, classification of clean and contaminated areas, environmental disinfection, etc.).

From August, the province will conduct video learning on the Gyeonggi Lifelong Learning Portal Knowledge (GSEEK) for facilities and personnel for whom face-to-face training is difficult due to on-site circumstances.

The main training contents are ▲ COVID-19 infection control principles and isolation ▲ selection of protective equipment and environmental management ▲ epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 and response measures.

Last year, the province provided online training to 31,000 people at infection-vulnerable facilities related to COVID-19.

Ryu Young-cheol, Director of the Health and Wellness Bureau of the province, explained, "To prevent cluster infections and ensure efficient infection control, infection control experts from regional responsible medical institutions visit the sites and support customized training and consultation, further strengthening infection control capabilities."