The Korean Society of Preventive Medicine and the Korean Society of Epidemiology: "We Must Transition to a Sustainable K-Quarantine System"

On the first day of COVID-19 vaccinations for those aged 18 to 49, on the 26th, citizens are waiting to receive their vaccines at the vaccination center set up at Sadang Sports Complex in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine and the Korean Society of Epidemiology, professional academic societies related to quarantine, have urged a transition to a sustainable K-quarantine system, stating that healthcare workers and self-employed individuals are reaching their limits due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation in Korea.

The COVID-19 Joint Countermeasures Committee, composed of the Korean Society for Preventive Medicine and the Korean Society of Epidemiology, issued a statement on the 26th, saying, "The current social distancing measures have limited effectiveness compared to the social costs involved," and added, "They need to be supplemented to enhance social equity and effectiveness."

It has been pointed out that the currently applied high-intensity distancing was effective in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, but now objective data confirm that its effectiveness is limited relative to the social costs incurred.

The Joint Committee diagnosed that the current K-quarantine system is also approaching a critical limit on the verge of collapse, relying on the dedication and sacrifice of healthcare workers without expanding personnel and resources in response to the prolonged and large-scale nature of COVID-19. The committee emphasized, "It is urgent to expand quarantine personnel and resources significantly to enhance the contact tracing and management capabilities, which were the fundamental principles of K-quarantine."

As fatigue accumulates in the medical field, healthcare labor organizations have announced a full strike scheduled for the 2nd of next month, demanding an increase in medical personnel and strengthening of public healthcare.

The Joint Committee argued that for K-quarantine to be sustainable, it must shift from an administration-centered regulatory approach to one centered on citizen participation. The committee stated, "We urge the development of platforms that enable voluntary citizen participation while protecting personal information by utilizing world-class network infrastructure and information and communication technology."

Hong Yoon-cheol, Director of the Public Health and Medical Promotion Institute at Seoul National University Hospital, lamented, "After fighting COVID-19 for 20 months, citizens, quarantine workers, and medical staff are all being pushed to their limits." Director Hong added, "In particular, the number of small business owners and self-employed individuals, who have sacrificed for the safety of our society and community as a whole and are now facing existential crises, is increasing exponentially. It is a crucial time when civil society must voluntarily participate in quarantine activities with a spirit of shared pain, solidarity, and cooperation, reaching a broad social consensus and determination."

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