Ⓒ JoongAng Ilbo / JoongAng Ilbo Japanese version2022.01.12 09:48
Before the Korean government gained momentum in Omicron stocks, it began to create a new epidemic prevention strategy with the keyword “coexistence with the new corona”. It is to break away from the K-quarantine, which has suppressed the transmission of infection to the maximum extent, and switch to the so-called “new normal” strategy, which puts an emphasis on the protection of high-risk groups. On the 12th, the medical community and the government council will hold a meeting for the first time under the auspices of the government to exchange opinions on the direction of long-term response.
On the 11th, Park Hyang, the head of the epidemic prevention team at the Central Accident Collection Headquarters, said in a briefing that “Omicron stocks are more likely to replace Delta stocks and become dominant stocks in January.” Since the introduction, we have established epidemic prevention and medical response strategies in preparation for the rapid increase in infected people. “
According to the medical community, the government has set up a medium- to long-term Omicron stock countermeasure-related council with 10 people including the Korean Medical Association, the Korean Hospital Association, and the Korean Heavy Patient Medical Association, centered on the Ministry of Health and Welfare, on the followingnoon of the 12th. Hold a meeting for the first time. A government official said, “We will gather the opinions of experts on the overall direction and decide the direction of response in January.”
Once the Omicron strain becomes the predominant strain, there are limits to current methods of tracking all sources of infection and focusing on blocking infection. Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom said on the 7th, “In order to deal with Omicron strains, which have a very fast expansion rate, it is necessary to completely innovate the epidemic prevention system in terms of” speed “and” efficiency. ” I talked to him. Lim Seung-wan, director of Anjo Hospital, Gyeonggi-do Medical Center, said at a debate on Omicron stocks on the 7th, “Conventional K-Quarantine is very successful when there are hundreds of infected people. But we still need to pursue strategic efficiency. ” Focusing on high-risk groups and critically ill patients, the absolute majority of mildly ill patients should be treated with a normal medical response system with minimal control.
Along with this, 3T (examination / follow-up / treatment) is expected to eventually be converted to a method of selection and concentration.
First, in the case of testing, the number of people subject to PCR testing is greatly reduced. The first target is people with new corona symptoms, close contacts, unvaccinated people, and the elderly. The rest of the test applicants will be tested by PCR until the rapid antigen test is positive. While the maximum test response capability has been expanded from the current 750,000 to 100,000, there is a risk that it will not be possible to respond even in this way, so we decided to utilize an auxiliary means for rapid antigen testing. Lee Sang-won, head of the Epidemiological Research and Analysis Team at the Central Epidemiological Control Headquarters, said, “People other than the (high-risk group) will not be excluded from the PCR test, but will be tested next according to the plan.”
I am also worried regarding the idea of having the neighborhood clinic participate in the inspection institution in order to enhance the approach to the inspection. A government official said, “We will consider a plan that the clinic can handle even if it is limited.” I can do it. ” Currently, there are 574 respiratory clinics nationwide, but more than 40% (244) are gathered in the metropolitan area. The clinic level is only 20%.
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