The quarantine authorities are preparing mid- to long-term measures to prepare for new infectious diseases that may emerge following the recovery of daily life. They aim to establish a medical system capable of responding to one million confirmed cases per day and secure key means to obtain vaccines and treatments within 200 days of an outbreak.
On the 4th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) held a public hearing with experts on the "Mid- to Long-term Plan for Preparing for New Infectious Disease Pandemics (Mid- to Long-term Plan)" and announced core tasks in five major areas. This public hearing was held to explain and supplement the mid- to long-term plan, which is scheduled to be announced after evaluations of the COVID-19 response over the past three years, expert advisory meetings by field, public forums, and crisis response advisory committees. Im Suk-young, Director of the Infectious Disease Crisis Response Bureau at KDCA, mentioned the background of establishing this mid- to long-term plan, stating, “It is necessary to move away from the dichotomy of new infectious disease outbreaks and their end, and to change the paradigm by strengthening capabilities throughout the entire cycle.”
The quarantine authorities presented three major goals for responding to new infectious diseases: ▲ securing key response measures within 100 and 200 days of an outbreak, ▲ establishing a system capable of responding to one million confirmed cases per day, and ▲ providing robust protection for vulnerable groups.
First, within 30 days of the emergence of a new infectious disease, its characteristics will be analyzed and diagnostic methods developed. Core technologies for diagnosing unknown infectious diseases will be secured, and systems will be improved to enable rapid use of diagnostic reagents.
Medical response will expand the number of intensive care beds to about 3,500 to handle up to one million confirmed cases per day. A comprehensive evaluation will be conducted focusing on permanent beds such as those in infectious disease specialized hospitals, and incentives will be strengthened for institutions with excellent evaluations.
Research and development (R&D) for vaccines and treatments will also be strengthened. Before a pandemic occurs, a rapid development system will be established, and during an outbreak, support will be provided to enable swift development through this system. After securing response measures, long-term immunogenicity follow-up studies and clinical efficacy evaluations will be conducted. Additionally, the mid- to long-term plan includes establishing a regional comprehensive medical response governance, expanding infectious disease response personnel, institutionalizing sickness benefits, and pre-establishing emergency compensation standards for self-employed workers.
KDCA plans to announce the finalized mid- to long-term plan in May after reflecting on the opinions discussed that day and consulting with related ministries.
Ji Young-mi, Commissioner of KDCA, said, “After three years of uncertainty with COVID-19, society has united to respond, and we now stand at the edge of the crisis,” but added, “As some limitations in response capabilities have been revealed through unprecedented large-scale outbreaks, bold investment and thorough preparation for the next pandemic are urgently needed.”
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