Gwangju City and Jeonnam Province, All-Out Effort to Prevent Coronavirus Spread

Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop is visiting Chosun University Hospital regarding the coronavirus and receiving an explanation from Yoon Nara, Director of Infection Control (Infectious Diseases). Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Metropolitan City and Jeonnam Province have launched an all-out effort to protect their clean areas from the novel coronavirus.

According to Gwangju City on the 3rd, starting with Mayor Lee Yong-seop's emergency executive meeting, a series of meetings were held including economic countermeasure meetings, daily media briefings, on-site inspections of nationally designated inpatient treatment beds, meetings on measures related to Chinese international students, and meetings on cultural sector countermeasures to check preparedness in each field and devise measures to block the novel coronavirus.

First, Mayor Lee Yong-seop held an emergency executive meeting that morning, upgrading the Disaster Countermeasure Support Headquarters to the Regional Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters and directing countermeasures in each sector.

The mayor prepared plans to install and operate thermal scanners at Gwangju Songjeong Station, Gwangcheon-dong Express Bus Terminal, and Gwangju Airport, which are major gateways to Gwangju, along with measures for Chinese international students, economic sector countermeasures, and cultural sector countermeasures, and urged restraint on events where many citizens gather.

In the afternoon, Mayor Lee visited the nationally designated inpatient treatment beds at Chosun University Hospital and the screening clinic at Dong-gu Public Health Center to inspect the response sites for the novel coronavirus infection.

This visit was arranged to directly check the on-site response system of the screening clinic and prevent local infections amid the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus infection.

Currently, Gwangju City operates 12 screening clinics and two nationally designated inpatient treatment beds (12 beds) at Jeonnam National University Hospital and Chosun University Hospital.

The mayor first checked the control status at the main entrance of the nationally designated inpatient treatment beds at Chosun University Hospital and toured the negative pressure ward and emergency room.

He also received reports from Chosun University Hospital Director Jeong Jong-hoon and Infection Control Office Director Yoon Na-ra on patient screening criteria and response measures, screening clinic operation procedures, and on-site response systems, and listened to difficulties.

Next, Mayor Lee visited Dong-gu Public Health Center to inspect operations such as counseling, fever checks, ITS verification, and health education, and encouraged the staff for their hard work.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, “The 12 screening clinics and 12 nationally designated isolation beds operating in our region are the frontline in preventing local infections. I hope the related personnel will respond thoroughly to protect clean Gwangju, and we will provide maximum support where needed.”

Jeonnam Province also established guidelines to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and protect the safety of residents and affiliated public officials.

Considering that the novel coronavirus infection spreads through coughing and contact, it was decided in principle to cancel nationwide large-scale events and events, competitions, and festivals involving unspecified large numbers of participants during the virus spread period.

However, if it is unavoidable to proceed with an event, the event period or the scope of attendees should be reduced, and necessary preventive measures such as placing thermometers and hand sanitizers and posting preventive behavior guidelines posters inside the venue must be taken.

The 2020 Eco-friendly Agriculture Advancement Conference, scheduled for the 4th, was abruptly canceled.

Regarding overseas business trips of public officials, travel to China and other infection outbreak areas will be restricted until the novel coronavirus infection situation eases, and overseas trips to non-affected areas will be postponed or scaled down.

For public officials handling civil complaints and working on-site, hand sanitization and mask-wearing will be mandatory to alleviate residents' anxiety and ensure their safety.

Jeonnam Province Autonomous Administration Director Jeong Chan-gyun said, “Prevention of infectious diseases cannot be overdone. All departments of the provincial government will cooperate to promote preventive activities to ensure that the novel coronavirus does not occur in our region.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.