Prime Minister Jeong: "Urgent Strengthening Measures for US Arrivals... Target Implementation at Midnight on the 27th"

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stated on the 25th that "strengthened measures for arrivals from the United States are urgently needed following the comprehensive testing of arrivals from Europe" in relation to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) situation.

On the same day, Prime Minister Chung chaired the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting for COVID-19 response at the Government Seoul Office and said, "With the rapid increase in confirmed cases in the U.S., it is expected that the demand for return of our citizens, including North American international students who feel anxious, will rise, leaving little time to delay," adding, "Considering the urgency, the goal is to implement the measures no later than 0:00 on the 27th."

The government has been conducting COVID-19 diagnostic tests on all arrivals from Europe since the 22nd to block overseas inflow of COVID-19 and has been reviewing strengthened entry measures for arrivals from the U.S.

Prime Minister Chung said, "Based on proposals developed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who have considered the most effective measures to protect citizens within the capacity of our quarantine system, a conclusion will be reached at today's meeting," and added, "Whether the measures are sustainable in the future will also be an important consideration."

He continued, "Sporadic cluster infections centered around religious facilities and nursing hospitals are continuing domestically," expressing concern that "infections in nursing hospitals, where most patients are elderly high-risk individuals, not only place a heavy burden on the medical system but also risk spreading to local communities."

Furthermore, he stated, "To prevent infections in nursing hospitals, management and quarantine measures for caregivers are necessary," and criticized, "Caregivers frequently enter hospitals and live closest to patients, but since they are neither medical staff nor hospital employees, management has been relatively lax."

He then ordered, "If caregiver experience at nursing hospitals is confirmed, they should be prioritized for diagnostic testing, and there must be no avoidance of testing due to concerns about disadvantages related to residency status during the testing process," adding, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Justice, and other related departments should promptly devise measures and report back."

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