"Continued Cluster Infections" ... In-Person Visits Restricted at Nursing Hospitals During Chuseok Holiday

Jungsubon, Positive Rate Increasing in Preemptive Testing at Infection-Vulnerable Facilities

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] To prevent COVID-19 cluster infections, contact during face-to-face visits at nursing hospitals and facilities will be restricted during the upcoming Chuseok holiday next month.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced on the 24th that it received and discussed a report from the Central Accident Response Headquarters on "Additional Response Measures for Infection-Vulnerable Facilities such as Nursing Hospitals."

According to an analysis by the Central Accident Response Headquarters on the status of confirmed cases in infection-vulnerable facilities such as nursing hospitals and facilities, the number of cluster infections within facilities is decreasing, but the scale of infections is increasing.

In the 4th week of July, there were 165 cluster infections with an average of 24.8 people; in the 2nd week of August, 105 cases with an average of 22 people; and in the 3rd week, 45 cases with an average of 42.6 people. The positivity rate in regularly conducted proactive testing has continued to rise: 0.65% in the 3rd week of July, 0.66% in the 4th week, 0.80% in the 1st week of August, and 1.02% in the 2nd week.

Earlier, the "Nursing Facility Medical Mobile Task Force," operated by the Central Accident Response Headquarters since April, has increased its operations again due to the recent rise in confirmed cases, but regional disparities exist, indicating a need for activation.

Based on this status analysis, the Central Accident Response Headquarters decided to maintain 'non-contact face-to-face visits' at infection-vulnerable facilities during the Chuseok holiday and to prepare and implement additional response measures. Current quarantine rules such as proactive testing of workers and restrictions on outings and overnight stays except for essential outpatient care will also be maintained.

Prevention of patient occurrence and response systems will be continuously strengthened. The health authorities have designated infection managers through infection control fee support for nursing and psychiatric hospitals since the 1st of this month and have been conducting infection control education for workers.

From the end of this month, scenario-based on-site drills will be conducted sequentially according to patient occurrence situations and facility types, and on the 25th, training for patient occurrence response based on scenarios for infection-vulnerable facilities and education for local governments will also be held.

The Nursing Facility Medical Mobile Task Force will continue to expand with the goal of operating at least one per city, county, and district, and will support medical services by utilizing existing medical systems such as contracted doctors and respiratory patient care centers. Additionally, to promote oral antiviral treatments, prescription rates will be regularly checked, and prescriptions to alleviate severe cases will continue to be encouraged.

Furthermore, to prevent infection and spread, a "Nursing Hospital Ventilation Standard Guideline" will be prepared through research projects on ventilation standards, and medical equipment such as portable negative pressure devices and oxygen therapy devices will be supplied to strengthen protection of confirmed patients within cohort facilities.

Park Hyang, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters' quarantine general team, emphasized, "We will continue to solidify the response system and faithfully implement existing measures to protect infection-vulnerable facilities."

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