Jeonnam Province, COVID-19 Vaccination Preparations Progressing Smoothly

Governor Kim Young-rok Proposes to Government Participation of Nursing College Students as Nursing Assistants

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province is steadily carrying out preparations, including proposing to government ministries that nursing college students participate as nursing assistants to ensure rapid and safe COVID-19 vaccinations.

According to the province on the 1st, the COVID-19 vaccination target is 1.56 million people, excluding children and adolescents under 18 and pregnant women, out of the total 1.85 million residents. The plan is to complete vaccinations by November according to the priority order designated by the government.

Vaccinations are conducted by type of vaccine at vaccination centers, entrusted medical institutions, and through home visits.

Vaccination centers have installed ultra-low temperature freezers for Pfizer vaccines, and each dedicated team operates with 4 doctors, 8 nurses, and 10 administrative staff.

One vaccination center will be established per city and county, totaling 22 centers.

Although 100 doctors, 200 nurses, and 250 administrative staff, totaling 550 personnel, are needed, recruitment is facing difficulties.

Accordingly, Governor Kim Young-rok of Jeonnam proposed to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 28th of last month that nursing college students be allowed to perform nursing assistant roles necessary for vaccination to share duties between public health center home visit teams and vaccination center nurses.

In response, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare have expressed their intention to actively review and reflect this in the vaccination guidelines.

The province plans to utilize public health doctors (283), nurses at public health centers (1,465), nursing personnel from the fire headquarters (239), and idle nurses from the Jeonnam Nursing Association (862) to address the shortage of personnel at vaccination centers. Additionally, 3rd and 4th-year students (3,153) from 14 nursing colleges will be deployed to public health center home visit teams and recognized as practical training hours, proactively securing personnel.

Meanwhile, Jeonnam Province established the 'COVID-19 Vaccination Implementation Plan' on the 18th of last month and formed a 'COVID-19 Vaccination Response Council' with local medical associations and related organizations, promptly holding the first council meeting to meticulously prepare for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Kang Young-gu, Director of Health and Welfare at Jeonnam Province, said, “We will thoroughly prepare to ensure that COVID-19 vaccinations proceed without setbacks by forming a personnel operation council with local medical associations, nursing associations, and nursing colleges early this month and establishing a personnel plan to secure vaccination staff.”

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