Medical Community Backlash... To 'Emergency Mobilize' or Not

Urgent Bed Shortage, But Everyone Is Hesitant

The temporary screening clinic for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is operating on the 15th at Yeouido 3rd Parking Lot by the Han River in Seoul (under the southern end of Seogang Bridge). / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) leads to a shortage of hospital beds and medical staff for patient treatment, attention is focused on whether the quarantine authorities will issue emergency mobilization measures. So far, public resources such as national and public hospitals and local medical centers have been prioritized, and cooperation is being sought from private medical institutions as well, but the situation is urgent due to the sudden surge in critically ill patients. However, the government is deliberating carefully considering the medical community's opposition.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 15th, 13 people died from COVID-19 the previous day. This is the first time since the domestic COVID-19 outbreak that the daily death toll has reached double digits. Previously, during the first wave when patients surged in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk areas, 8 to 9 people died per day.

The number of critically ill patients also increased by 20 in one day to 205. This is also the highest number recorded. When an infectious disease spreads rapidly, a large number of new patients emerge in a short time, causing delays in diagnosis and treatment, which inevitably leads to greater loss of life. Given that the daily number of new confirmed cases has recently surged to the scale of thousands, the number of critically ill patients and deaths is likely to increase even more steeply in the future.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung is talking with students during a visit to Gyeonggi Dream Tower at Gyeonggi University in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, which is scheduled to be converted into a residential treatment center under an emergency mobilization order due to the spread of COVID-19 on the 14th.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung announced plans to urgently mobilize private university buildings to accommodate patients, and authorities both inside and outside are considering compulsory measures to secure medical resources such as hospital beds. The Ministry of Health and Welfare is discussing with related academic societies the possibility of deploying residents who are about to take their specialist exams to COVID-19 sites instead of taking the exams. Although medical associations are recruiting volunteers and medical students are assisting with some diagnostic tests, the situation remains insufficient.

According to the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, health authorities or local governments have the legal basis to forcibly mobilize hospital beds, facilities, and medical personnel, but the government is cautious about such measures as they may provoke opposition from the medical community. Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters' quarantine team, said, "Public personnel such as public health doctors and military doctors are being steadily deployed, and all public hospitals are treating COVID-19 patients. If mobilization measures are taken, they will likely involve the private sector, so we will seek cooperation and consultation with organizations such as the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Hospital Association as much as possible."

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