Bloomberg News Ranks South Korea 6th Among 53 Countries in COVID-19 Response Index... 8th in February

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] COVID-19 vaccination for seniors aged 75 and older began on the 1st at 46 priority vaccination centers nationwide, including 7 centers in 25 autonomous districts of Seoul. Gangnam-gu will also start vaccinations on the 15th for 28,819 seniors aged 75 and older, as well as users and workers of elderly care facilities in the district, in line with the government’s plan.

Vaccinations are conducted by appointment, and so far, 21,373 people (74.16%) have registered to receive the vaccine.

For those who have not yet applied, additional registrations are being accepted until the 6th. Please bring your ID and register at the nearest community service center.

Seniors can receive vaccinations at the vaccination center set up at the Irwon Eco Center (Irwon-dong 4-12), where six shuttle buses have been arranged. The center is equipped with 8 preliminary examination rooms and 16 vaccination rooms, staffed by a professional team of 44 people including doctors, nurses, and public officials.

Additionally, a separate observation room has been prepared to monitor adverse reactions after vaccination, with emergency bells installed at each seat to enable immediate response in case of emergencies.

Moreover, an ultra-low temperature freezer has been installed for vaccine storage, and simulation training is underway to ensure safe vaccinations.

In April, vaccinations will also be conducted for 927 people including workers at facilities for the disabled and correctional facilities, as well as health teachers at kindergartens and elementary and middle schools. From May, 56,000 people including residents aged 65 to 74, healthcare workers, and teachers at daycare centers, kindergartens, and first and second grades of elementary school will be vaccinated. In July, 280,000 residents aged 18 to 64 will receive the vaccine.

To support this, an additional vaccination center is being established at the Gangnam Tourism Information Center (Apgujeong-ro 161).

Although some countries have suspended vaccinations for adults under 60 due to rare blood clot cases after COVID-19 vaccination, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that the vaccines are safe and effective. The government has also announced that there is no reason to suspend or change the vaccination plan.

Bloomberg News in the United States ranks countries monthly on their COVID-19 resilience index, assessing how well they respond and control the pandemic among 53 countries worldwide. As of last month, South Korea ranked 6th among the 53 countries, rising two places from 8th in February. This is interpreted as a result of high scores in overall quarantine indicators despite the vaccination campaign not yet being in full swing.

Vaccination is the beginning of regaining lost daily life. Public cooperation is crucial to achieve herd immunity. Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, also emphasized, “Vaccination is the shortcut to restoring daily life.” Gangnam residents are encouraged to trust the government and participate in vaccinations in the designated order for the health of themselves, their families, and their loved ones.

Now, let’s take a look at the COVID-19 status and key policies in Gangnam-gu.

As of the 2nd, confirmed cases have reached number 1560. Cases 1552 and 1557 were confirmed through contact with previously confirmed Gangnam-gu residents, and case 1555 was a family member of a confirmed Gangnam-gu resident. Case 1556 was confirmed through contact with a confirmed case from another region. Cases 1553, 1554, and 1558 through 1560 were confirmed after showing symptoms such as coughing, but their infection routes are unknown and epidemiological investigations are ongoing.

As of the 2nd, Gangnam-gu is managing 1,360 people in self-quarantine, including 597 overseas arrivals and 763 domestic contacts.

The cumulative number of specimen tests conducted at Gangnam-gu Public Health Center’s screening clinics and temporary screening sites is 294,737. On the 1st, among 3,429 tested, 39 were overseas arrivals and 3,390 were domestic residents.

Regarding the recent cluster infections occurring consecutively at entertainment establishments in the Gangnam area, residents may be very concerned. Since the 1st, Gangnam-gu has been conducting comprehensive testing for all workers at 467 entertainment facilities in the district. Workers, owners, and service staff at facilities such as nightclubs, karaoke bars, and holdem pubs must undergo specimen testing regardless of symptoms. Business operations must be suspended until a negative test result is confirmed.

Gangnam-gu has also requested the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and Seoul City to proactively conduct specimen testing for all personnel related to entertainment establishments nationwide to minimize community infections. Gangnam-gu Office will continue to strictly enforce the “zero tolerance” principle under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act against establishments that violate quarantine rules or operate late into the night to evade inspections.

According to the Ministry of Education, 277 students nationwide were infected with COVID-19 in the past week (March 25?31), averaging 39.6 confirmed cases per day, nearly 10 more than the previous week. To ensure student health and safety, Gangnam-gu plans to conduct special inspections of 100 large academies in Daechi-dong in cooperation with the education office and Seoul City by the 11th. Additionally, 24 schools operating sports teams will be regularly monitored to ensure mask-wearing and social distancing during outdoor classes and training.

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