1004 Island Sinan, the Lowest COVID-19 Incidence Rate Nationwide with Natural Vaccine

Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Park Woo-ryang) announced on the 30th that, in accordance with government policy, the COVID-19 infectious disease classification will be downgraded from level 2 to level 4, and the second phase of daily recovery measures will be implemented starting from the 31st.

Legal infectious diseases are classified into levels 1 to 4 based on the timing of reporting and the level of isolation. Being downgraded to the lowest level, level 4, means managing the disease through a surveillance system similar to influenza.

On May 19th, at the Lavender Flower Festival, Park Woo-ryang (center), the mayor of Sinan County, and local residents are promoting handwashing to prevent infectious diseases. [Photo by Sinan County]

Since the first domestic case on January 20, 2020, Shinan-gun has maintained a significantly lower incidence rate compared to the national average of 66.6% and Jeollanam-do’s 62.4%, with 11,321 cases (29.9% of the population) despite the exponential surge in nearby Mokpo City during the Omicron outbreak in 2022. This places Shinan-gun first in Jeollanam-do and among the lowest nationwide.

Moreover, when overseas travel was restricted due to COVID-19, Shinan-gun, recognized as a UN World’s Best Tourism Village and a Star of Korean Tourism, attracted over one million visitors from across the country, keeping the community on high alert. However, through proactive measures such as increasing nursing staff and establishing a detailed quarantine system, Shinan-gun was able to maintain its status as a clean and safe area.

Most residents speculate that although it cannot be medically or scientifically proven, the natural environment of Shinan-gun?known as the “1004 Islands”?including the sea breeze that provides a “sunlight pension,” pollution-free sunlight, clean sea, and tidal flats, may have acted as the greatest vaccine against the coronavirus.

Governor Park Woo-ryang stated, “I thank the medical staff who took the lead in overcoming COVID-19 and the residents who actively participated. With Shinan-gun’s natural conditions, we expect to continue providing not only a sunlight pension but also a health pension. We will further contribute to improving the health of our residents in the future.”

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