Government Delays Urgent Measures... Experts Urge "Swift Response Without Political Influence"

"Securing ICU Beds Takes Forever
Reducing Confirmed Cases Is Urgent
Without Strong Measures
Bed Shortage Will Become a Reality"

On the 10th, as 7,022 new COVID-19 cases were reported, marking the third consecutive day with over 7,000 cases, citizens visiting the temporary screening clinic set up at Seogang University Station Plaza in Mapo-gu, Seoul, are waiting to be tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy reporters Seo So-jeong and Lee Chun-hee] As the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies, the government has introduced measures such as shortening the vaccination interval and securing non-metropolitan hospital beds through administrative orders. However, experts unanimously agree that these are not fundamental solutions. With the number of critically ill patients remaining in the 800s for three consecutive days?reaching an all-time high?and the number of patients waiting for hospital beds nearing 1,300, experts warn that without strong quarantine measures equivalent to a lockdown, a major crisis could ensue. In particular, criticism has arisen that the government's complacent response despite continuous warnings from experts may be due to political considerations.

◆ 1,258 Patients Waiting for Beds in the Seoul Metropolitan Area = According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on the 10th at midnight, the number of patients waiting for hospital beds for more than one day in the Seoul metropolitan area reached 1,258. This is an increase of 255 patients from the previous day's 1,003, jumping into the 1,200 range in just one day. Among those waiting, 285 have been waiting for more than four days. Notably, 503 (40%) of the patients waiting for beds are elderly aged 70 or older, and about 60% of them have underlying conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, raising serious concerns about severe illness. The number of patients under home treatment has also surpassed 20,000. On this day, the number of home treatment patients was 20,458, with the majority located in the Seoul metropolitan area: 9,866 in Seoul, 6,902 in Gyeonggi, and 1,348 in Incheon.

As of 5 p.m. the previous day, the utilization rate of severe COVID-19 beds in the Seoul metropolitan area was 85.4%, up 0.4 percentage points from the day before. Only 118 severe beds remain available. With utilization rates at 87.8% in Seoul, 82% in Gyeonggi, and 89.9% in Incheon, the metropolitan area’s hospital beds are nearly full. The situation in non-metropolitan areas is also worsening. The nationwide utilization rate of severe COVID-19 beds is 79.3%, with no beds left in North Gyeongsang Province. Sejong, Gangwon, and North Chungcheong Provinces each have only one intensive care patient bed available.

The government announced on this day that it would issue additional administrative orders to non-metropolitan general hospitals to expand about 1,700 beds. As metropolitan area beds reach saturation, these beds are expected to be used for transferring patients from the metropolitan area to non-metropolitan regions. Lee Ki-il, the first controller of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, explained, "Currently, many confirmed cases are also occurring in non-metropolitan areas," adding, "We are proactively issuing administrative orders for non-metropolitan areas as well."

◆ "We Must Reduce Deaths... Avoid Political Considerations" = Jeong Ki-seok, professor of respiratory medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital (former director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency), said, "More than 20,000 confirmed cases have been reported in just the past three days, so increasing intensive care beds now is too late," emphasizing, "The urgent task is to reduce the number of confirmed cases immediately." Professor Jeong added, "The recent severe case rate is around 2.0?2.5%, significantly exceeding government expectations," warning, "Without strong measures such as a lockdown, a hospital bed crisis will become a reality." Professor Shim Eun-ha of Soongsil University’s Department of Mathematics predicted, "If the current trend continues, daily new confirmed cases will reach 11,369 on the 15th of this month and 18,559 two weeks later on the 22nd."

Professor Cheon Eun-mi of Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital’s Department of Respiratory Medicine stated, "Shortening the interval for the third vaccination is not the most necessary measure right now," emphasizing, "The important thing is to strengthen social distancing to reduce confirmed cases as much as possible, create hospital beds, and reduce severe cases and deaths." Professor Cheon stressed the need for a two-track strategy, saying, "By making self-test kits widely available, asymptomatic and mild patients can test themselves and isolate to block transmission. For high-risk groups, even if they receive the third vaccination, the preventive effect may be reduced, so we need to prepare measures to strengthen early treatment before severe illness develops."

Experts analyze that the government’s delay in taking drastic measures is due to political considerations ahead of the presidential election. Baek Soon-young, emeritus professor at the Catholic University College of Medicine, pointed out, "Since the phased return to normal life was implemented, the government’s patient forecasts and severe case rate estimates have all been off," adding, "The capacity to respond to critically ill patients has reached its limit, but there is no acknowledgment of the lack of preparation." Professor Baek criticized, "Strong measures are needed, but there is no leadership to command them," and urged, "Instead of being swayed by political logic, the government must face the situation realistically and promptly implement effective countermeasures."

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