Corona 19 confirmed patients can also be treated within the general medical system. Negative pressure ward at Hyemin Hospital in Gwangjin-gu, Seouls Corona 19 hub. When Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom suggested a grade adjustment for the novel coronavirus, which is currently designated as a first-class infectious disease, at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 16th, the quarantine authorities took the position that it should be considered from a mid- to long-term perspective.
Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom asked the medical community to discuss with the medical community on the same day, “The quarantine authorities will adjust the class of infectious disease currently designated as “Class 1” to the changed situation so that the quarantine authorities can respond to Corona in the daily medical system. ” said.
Sohn Young-rae, head of the social strategy division of the Central Accident Resolving Headquarters, said at the daily Corona 19 regular briefing on this day, “A task to start reviewing in advance from a mid- to long-term perspective as the current risk of COVID-19 omicron mutation is generally lowering” He said, “It is not an urgent action right now, but it is an opinion that if the epidemic passes the peak and stabilizes in the future, the issue of lifting it from the first-class infectious disease should be considered in consideration of the fatality rate and risk,” he said.
The government classifies statutory infectious diseases into grades 1 to 4 according to the severity or transmission power, and applies a different reporting and management system for infected people depending on the grade. In the case of Corona 19, a first-class infectious disease, immediately after confirmation of infection, notification to the quarantine authorities, isolation in a negative pressure room, and full treatment expenses are applied.
However, as there are 300,000 to 400,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 per day due to the spread of Omicron mutation, it is pointed out that the first-class infectious disease response system has limitations in responding to medical capabilities. Some analysts say that it is not appropriate to continue designating Corona 19 as a first-class infectious disease in a situation where home treatment or treatment at a local hospital is mainly performed, except for patients with severe cases.
Director Young-rae Son said, “Comprehensive discussion is necessary by gathering opinions from experts and on-site.” It is a matter that needs to be reviewed together” In addition, “there was an instruction to preemptively review it in the sense that it is a task that requires a fairly complex and comprehensive review” #8221; explained.
