Jeonnam Province Implements 'Customized' Management for High-Risk and General Patients Amid Omicron Surge

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province is launching customized management measures in response to the rapid increase in Omicron cases.

On the 8th, the province announced that it will focus on preventing severe cases and deaths among high-risk groups, while transitioning lower-risk general patient groups to a more routine level of quarantine and medical systems. This follows government policy.

Omicron has a transmission rate 2 to 3 times higher than previous COVID-19 variants but lower severity, leading to an expected large number of asymptomatic and mild cases. This could result in a continuous increase in administrative workload.

Accordingly, the province has introduced reform plans for epidemiological investigations, isolation methods, delivery of supplies to home treatment patients, monitoring, and medical demand response.

These improvements in management systems and operations are expected to strengthen rapid and efficient frontline responses, secure medical capacity, and enhance accessibility to medical services for confirmed cases.

The capacity to respond to confirmed cases will be strengthened to 3,000 to 4,000 cases per day, and dedicated hospital beds will increase from 1,300 to 1,500.

Additionally, Jeonnam-type home treatment facilities will expand from 327 rooms to 500 rooms, accommodating up to 1,400 patients.

For epidemiological investigations, a self-reporting electronic questionnaire will be introduced. When health centers notify confirmed cases, they will provide the self-reporting questionnaire along with guidance on health status and medical usage methods to enhance the quality of initial consultations.

The isolation method for confirmed cases and co-isolated individuals will also be revised. Confirmed cases will no longer be required to install self-quarantine apps, and the GPS-based management system will be abolished, allowing individuals to manage their own quarantine. Confirmed cases will notify cohabiting family members of a 7-day co-isolation period.

Isolation will be automatically lifted after 7 days without separate notification from health centers.

However, co-isolated individuals will undergo one PCR test before release; if negative, isolation will be lifted. If a co-isolated individual tests positive, only the confirmed individual will isolate for 7 days without additional family isolation.

The province will provide home treatment kits only to essential intensive care groups and conduct telephone monitoring twice daily. Intensive care groups include those aged 60 and above and oral antiviral treatment candidates (patients aged 50 and above with underlying conditions or immunocompromised). Cohabiting family members will not receive kits.

Personnel previously assigned to kit and essential goods distribution will be redeployed to health centers and home treatment quarantine tasks to address staffing issues on the ground.

General management groups will self-manage, and a home management counseling center will be opened to provide telemedicine services from medical institutions as needed.

General management home treatment patients can receive telemedicine consultations at designated respiratory clinics and respiratory treatment medical institutions.

The home management support counseling centers will be established in 23 locations?1 in the province and 22 in cities and counties?and operate 24 hours a day. Nighttime medical consultations and prescription services for general management groups will be coordinated with local clinics and hospitals.

To build a cooperative response system with local clinics and hospitals, the number of designated respiratory treatment medical institutions will expand from the current 102 to 360.

A Jeonnam Province official stated, “This reform plan was promoted to efficiently utilize limited resources to minimize severe cases and deaths and preserve quarantine and medical system capacity. Based on selection and concentration, public and private sectors will cooperate and respond.”

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