Gyeonggi Province to Hold Large-Scale Joint Public-Private-Military Drill for Emerging Infectious Disease Response on the 17th

On September 17, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government will conduct the "2025 Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease Crisis Management Response Drill" at the Healthcare Innovation Park of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, with the participation of over 120 individuals, including representatives from public health centers, medical institutions, and related organizations.

This drill has been organized to comprehensively assess crisis response capabilities by simulating a scenario involving the spread of avian influenza (AI) infection in humans.

Jointly hosted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and the Infectious Disease Control Support Group, the "Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease Crisis Management Response Drill" will focus on practical exercises based on scenarios involving infectious disease cases that could realistically occur.

The drill consists of three modules. The first is a "discussion-based exercise," in which participants analyze crisis situations, discuss contact control, and explore surveillance system management strategies across four phases: the occurrence of a confirmed AI human infection case, exposure among foreign nationals, the spread of infection among pediatric patients, and quarantine measures at a farm confirmed to have highly pathogenic AI.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Next, the "execution-based exercise" aims to enhance initial on-site response capabilities to infectious disease outbreaks by simulating actual work processes such as specimen collection and testing requests, close contact tracing and management, and high-risk group management. This will be conducted in the form of OX quizzes, case studies, and on-site role-playing scenarios.

The final module is a "personal protective equipment (Level D) donning and doffing drill." Wearing protective equipment, a fundamental infection control measure to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, is a key step in initial response. Participants will practice donning and doffing procedures according to the standard operating procedures (SOP) and receive on-site feedback from experts.

This drill focuses on strengthening organic cooperation between the provincial and municipal governments and enhancing on-site response capabilities. It is expected to serve as an opportunity to verify the integrated response system in public health crisis situations.

Yoo Youngcheol, Director of Health and Wellness at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, stated, "Through our experience with COVID-19, we have once again confirmed that infectious disease crisis response capabilities are directly linked to community safety." He added, "We will use this drill as an opportunity to strengthen our crisis response system and do our utmost to protect the health and lives of our residents."