Three Infectious Disease Societies Call for Rapid Emergency Measures... "Epidemic Must Be Suppressed Through 'Emergency Stop'"

Published 13 Dec.2021 10:58(KST)

On the 13th, as the spread of COVID-19 continues, the temporary screening clinic at Seoul Plaza is crowded with citizens. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Three infection-related academic societies?the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, the Korean Society of Antimicrobial Therapy, and the Korean Society for Healthcare-associated Infection Control and Prevention?have urged the rapid implementation of emergency measures, stating that the healthcare system's response capacity is being overwhelmed due to the massive spread of COVID-19.

On the 13th, the three infection-related societies issued a joint statement titled "Joint Statement on the Rapid Surge of COVID-19 Epidemic," saying, "The medical response system is facing a serious crisis," and argued that "swift and proactive measures to reduce the COVID-19 epidemic are necessary to protect the health and lives of the people."

The societies expressed concern, stating, "As the number of critically ill patients rapidly increases, we are realizing the limits of the medical response system," and warned, "If strong policies to turn the tide are not announced and implemented in a timely manner, there is a high possibility of serious casualties in the near future."

They criticized, "'Stepwise daily recovery (With Corona)' is a policy that accepts medical and quarantine losses to reduce socio-economic damage, and an increase in the scale of the epidemic was already anticipated," adding, "Nevertheless, the government's measures to prepare for this and consideration for the medical field have been insufficient." They further evaluated, "Although the government announced measures such as restrictions on private gatherings on the 6th, the overall strength of the measures is low, and it is also struggling to elicit public participation," emphasizing that "since it takes more than two weeks for social distancing effects to manifest, immediate government response is urgent."

On the 13th, as the spread of COVID-19 continues, the temporary screening clinic at Seoul Plaza is crowded with citizens. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

The societies argued that as a solution to the current situation, the prompt implementation of emergency measures and securing public trust in vaccination are urgently needed. They stated, "Now is the time when a pause to secure the healthcare system's response capacity is absolutely necessary," and added, "Through an emergency pause, the speed of epidemic increase should be suppressed, and social distancing must be temporarily and strongly enforced." They also said, "Active compensation should be provided to small business owners and self-employed individuals who are expected to suffer damage as a result."

They also mentioned the importance of vaccination. The societies warned, "Vaccination remains the most important protective measure against COVID-19," and cautioned, "It is dangerous to undervalue its worth simply because the effects on blocking transmission or the duration of immunity do not fully meet expectations." They continued, "Vaccination is especially urgently needed for high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with underlying conditions during the rapid spread of the epidemic," emphasizing that the government must actively respond to dispel public concerns about vaccines.

Furthermore, they called for securing sustainable response capacity to cope with the long-term COVID-19 epidemic. They stated, "The COVID-19 epidemic will affect people's lives for years to come, and even if the current epidemic is controlled, it can threaten the daily lives of the people again at any time." To overcome this, they urged, "Practical and concrete alternatives are needed to secure medical response and quarantine capacity under a long-term perspective."