Expansion of Surveillance System Discussed at Infectious Disease Response Medical Council
Jeollanam-do has activated a public-private cooperation system and launched a preemptive quarantine response, as the number of COVID-19 cases has recently increased in neighboring countries such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, in preparation for a possible summer resurgence.
To effectively respond to the resurgence of COVID-19 and the influx of variant viruses, Jeollanam-do held an infectious disease response medical council on June 10.
The meeting was attended by medical experts including Choi Woonchang, President of the Jeonnam Medical Association; Cho Giseok, President of the Jeonnam Pharmaceutical Association; Choi Hyeongho, Director of Mokpo Medical Center; Park Inho, Director of Mokpo Korea Hospital; Kim Youngjin, Chief Medical Officer of St. Carollo Hospital; and Ji Seungkyu, President of the Jeonnam Association of Long-term Care Hospitals.
They engaged in in-depth discussions on key issues such as: reviewing the current COVID-19 situation and response measures in Korea; discussing countermeasures against variant viruses; and strengthening vaccination and prevention strategies.
Currently, Jeollanam-do conducts weekly sentinel surveillance through nine medical institutions, and only 0 to 3 cases have been reported over the past four weeks, maintaining a stable situation. However, to prepare for the possibility of further spread, the surveillance system was expanded to 45 hospital-level medical institutions as of June 4, with plans to further expand to 112 institutions in the event of an outbreak.
In addition, those in high-risk groups who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine can get vaccinated at public health centers from June 16 to June 30. The free vaccination program is available to people aged 65 and older, residents and staff of facilities vulnerable to infection, and immunocompromised individuals aged six months or older. The vaccine in use is effective against the currently circulating JN.1 subvariant.
Choi Woonchang, co-chair of the council and President of the Jeonnam Medical Association, said, "Through this meeting, we have established preemptive response measures against the spread of COVID-19 and reaffirmed our commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of residents. Going forward, the provincial government and the medical community will continue to work closely together to respond effectively to COVID-19."
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