[Reemergence Prevention Measures⑤] High-Risk Groups Hospitalized Within a Day... Emergency Rooms Operate 24 Hours

Reactivation of 1,405 Beds Needed Assuming 200,000 Confirmed Cases
Operation of Joint Response Situation Rooms in 7 Regional Zones Nationwide ... Joint Use of Idle Beds
Deployment of Public Health Doctors and Military Medical Officers if Medical Staff Shortage Occurs

The government is preparing to secure hospital beds for the treatment of severe COVID-19 inpatients in anticipation of a resurgence of COVID-19. The number of 'one-stop medical institutions,' where patients can receive testing, prescription of therapeutics, and treatment all at once, will be expanded to 10,000 locations within this month. High-risk groups aged 60 and above will be managed through a 'fast track' system that allows for hospitalization within a day immediately after diagnosis.

The COVID-19 resurgence medical response plan announced by the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 13th focuses on strengthening the overall medical system response to ensure stable management even if the recent spread of infections continues.

First, general symptomatic COVID-19 patients will be diagnosed and tested through professional rapid antigen tests (RAT) at private medical institutions such as local clinics and hospitals, and will be able to quickly receive treatment and prescriptions. Public testing systems, such as public health center screening clinics, will focus solely on free polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and diagnosis for elderly individuals aged 60 and above.

Existing respiratory-specialized clinics, designated respiratory treatment institutions, outpatient treatment centers, and telephone consultation clinics will all be unified as 'Respiratory Patient Treatment Centers.' Among these, 'one-stop medical institutions' capable of providing testing through prescription in one place will be expanded to 10,000 locations by the end of this month. Most mild patients will receive early treatment through face-to-face consultations at these one-stop medical institutions if symptoms appear. Additionally, high-risk groups aged 60 and above will be managed through the fast track system to ensure treatment prescriptions on the day of consultation and rapid linkage to hospitalization if necessary.

Treatment beds will be managed through joint response offices in seven regional zones nationwide to share idle beds and prioritize allocation to patients in urgent need. The number of beds at base hospitals, mainly small and medium-sized hospitals, will be adjusted to secure beds at tertiary medical institutions with high capacity for severe case treatment. Preparations will also be made to reactivate a total of 1,405 beds in case confirmed cases surge up to 200,000 per day.

For special treatment beds such as those for dialysis, childbirth, and pediatric patients, additional negative pressure beds will be secured, and extra fees will be provided to ensure continuous treatment infrastructure. Emergency rooms will revise guidelines and establish response systems to enable 24-hour transport and treatment for both COVID and non-COVID patients.

In the event of a rapid increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases due to resurgence, a standby workforce of 10,000 personnel ready for immediate dispatch has been secured. The health authorities will expand the pool of public health doctors for priority support and plan to deploy military medical officers through cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense if additional personnel are needed.

Proactive testing for workers at nursing hospitals and facilities will have shortened testing intervals depending on the scale of the resurgence, and additional testing or separate quarantine periods for residents will also be considered. In the event of cluster infections at these hospitals and facilities, oral therapeutics and quarantine supplies will be immediately provided to prevent mild patients from progressing to severe cases. High-risk confirmed patients with a high possibility of severe illness will be prioritized for treatment beds in dedicated hospitals.

The health authorities plan to inspect the readiness of hospital reactivation, including personnel and equipment status, focusing on institutions operating severe care beds within this month in preparation for the resurgence. They will also conduct on-site inspections of nursing hospitals, elderly care facilities, psychiatric medical institutions, and psychiatric rehabilitation facilities in cooperation with local governments.