Jeong Gi-seok "Next Year, We Will Prepare a Mid-to-Long-Term Roadmap to Prepare for Future Pandemics"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] Jeong Gi-seok, head of the COVID-19 Special Response Team and chairman of the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee, stated on the 26th, "The advisory committee will discuss a mid- to long-term roadmap to prepare for future pandemics in 2023 and prepare for the upcoming daily life (Next Normal)."

At the regular COVID-19 briefing held that day, Chairman Jeong said, "Over the past three years, the general medical system has somewhat sacrificed in responding to COVID-19," adding, "Even if a new pandemic occurs in the future, it is necessary to secure the necessary facilities and medical personnel, such as establishing regional infectious disease specialized hospitals to minimize the impact on the general medical system, and to meticulously organize the medical system for emergency, critical care, pediatric and adolescent care, dialysis, and childbirth."

He continued, "To this end, we will discuss how the central and local governments and regional health and medical councils can cooperate and communicate organically, and we will conduct in-depth discussions on the functions and roles that the Disease Control Agency’s regional disease response centers should perform as the command centers for quarantine within their regions," he emphasized.

He also said, "During the implementation of quarantine policies, we will discuss preventive and support measures with the principle of prioritizing the protection of socially vulnerable groups who may be marginalized or face difficulties."

The advisory committee was established under the Prime Minister on June 30 to propose various policies based on the collective intelligence of experts in each field. It consists of 21 experts from various fields including quarantine, medical care, society, economy, employment, and communication, advising the government to establish rational and consistent policies.

Since July, starting with discussions on the ‘6th Re-outbreak Preparedness Quarantine and Medical Response Measures,’ the committee has made a total of 14 recommendations to the government on policies such as the suspension of PCR tests before and after overseas entry, adjustment of outdoor mask-wearing mandates, establishment of an integrated quarantine information system, measures for the 7th wave, reform of infectious disease R&D governance, and adjustment of indoor mask-wearing mandates.

Currently, the committee operates two working groups conducting research, analysis, and evaluation on urgent topics by field.

The ‘Social and Economic Indicator System Development Working Group’ announced indicators analyzing changes in citizens’ lives due to infectious disease crises and quarantine policies through preliminary research in November. The ‘Communication Strategy and Message Development Working Group’ is conducting preliminary research to establish a government-wide communication structure and enhance the effectiveness of public health crisis communication. Chairman Jeong said, "We expect to propose improvements to the domestic crisis communication system in the first quarter of next year."

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