3,292 New Cases and 506 Critically Ill... Authorities Say "Outbreak Mainly in Vulnerable Facilities, Not at Emergency Plan Activation Level"

"Even Without Emergency Plans, Appropriate Measures Are Being Taken by Region"
"Encouraging Additional Vaccinations... Strong Will for Additional Vaccinations on Site"

On the 18th, when the highest ever number of 3,292 new COVID-19 cases was recorded, people were lining up at a temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza in the morning. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] On the 18th, the daily new COVID-19 cases reached a record high of 3,292, and the number of critically ill patients remained in the 500s for two consecutive days, raising concerns about the 'gradual return to normal life (With COVID-19).' However, health authorities emphasized that the current outbreak is limited to vulnerable facilities and stressed that it is not yet time to discuss 'emergency plans' or similar measures.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, stated during a COVID-19 briefing that "At present, we do not see a situation that requires activating an emergency plan," and added, "In the metropolitan area, the overall scale of the outbreak is rapidly increasing, but the rise in critically ill patients is mainly centered around the elderly and vulnerable facilities such as nursing hospitals and care facilities, rather than a broad increase." He dismissed calls for activating an 'emergency plan,' saying, "Stopping With COVID-19 and reverting to the previous social distancing measures does not align with the current problem patterns and solutions."

Regarding calls to take measures even in the metropolitan area, Son explained, "While it is not an emergency plan that stops With COVID-19 and strengthens previous distancing measures, response actions such as restricting visits to nursing hospitals and facilities and mandating regular PCR testing for workers are being implemented," and added, "If specific issues arise in regions like the metropolitan area, these measures can be sufficiently carried out even if it does not escalate to an emergency plan," indicating that an appropriate level of response is being maintained.

As the spread of COVID-19 continues in the metropolitan area, concerns over a shortage of intensive care beds are rising. On the afternoon of the 17th, medical staff at Seoul Medical Center in Jungnang-gu, Seoul, are inspecting treatment beds for severe COVID-19 patients.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the '75% ICU bed occupancy rate,' which the government has presented as one of the criteria for activating an emergency plan, Son explained that this figure takes into account the 'time lag.' He said, "The 75% itself is a figure proposed considering medical capacity," and added, "There is a time lag between the current outbreak situation and the occurrence of critically ill patients, and even if adjustments are made when the rate exceeds 75%, by the time the effects appear, the beds could be 100% occupied." He further explained, "Due to regional disparities, some areas may approach 100% ICU occupancy, which is why 75% was selected as the threshold for crisis assessment," and noted, "Leaving a quarter of the capacity as a margin is important, and lowering this threshold would be inefficient."

However, Son acknowledged, "The increase in critically ill patients relative to the number of confirmed cases is a concerning situation," and explained, "The rise in critically ill patients is mainly due to infections among the elderly, especially in vulnerable facilities, and we are focusing our response accordingly."

Regarding the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team's decision the previous day to shorten the interval for booster shots to four months, addressing the waning vaccine effectiveness over time after completion of vaccination, Son said, "We are encouraging associations, local governments, and individual nursing hospitals to proceed with vaccinations as quickly as possible," and added, "With the possibility of additional vaccinations after four months, efforts are being made to expedite vaccinations in nursing hospitals and facilities." On the willingness to receive vaccinations, he noted, "Vaccination rates were quite high in the first half of the year," and added, "Breakthrough infections are increasing, and the fatality rate among the elderly is high, so there is a strong atmosphere on-site among nursing hospitals and facilities, including hospitalized and admitted patients, to get vaccinated."

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