| People wait in line to go through COVID-19 testing at a temporary testing center in Seoul Plaza, Friday. Yonhap |
By Jun Ji-hye
The country's new daily COVID-19 cases could reach 20,000 after the government shifts its virus management policy to the “Living with COVID-19” scheme next Monday, according to medical experts.
During a forum hosted by the Korea Medical Association (KMA), Wednesday, Yeom Ho-ki, professor of internal medicine at Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, who heads a KMA committee tasked with drawing up COVID-19 countermeasures, said, “As virus cases have yet to plateau, medical experts are raising concerns that the government's policy shift could cause a fifth wave of infections, and the number of daily infections could surge to 20,000.”
The “Living with COVID-19” plan, under which health authorities will focus more on managing critically ill patients rather than all infections, is aimed at achieving a return to “normal life” through a gradual phasing out of coronavirus restrictions.
The government's decision to implement such measures was backed by the rising rate of vaccinations. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 73.2 percent of the entire population here has been fully vaccinated as of Thursday.
Yeom said, however, that the government still needs to pay keen attention to scientific factors, rather than pushing hastily to ease distancing restrictions, as breakthrough infections involving people who tested positive even after having completed their vaccinations have continued to be reported.
Kim Jae-seok, a professor of laboratory medicine at Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, called on the government to prepare thoroughly for breakthrough infections and other risks that could emerge after the policy shift is implemented.
“In particular, the government should take measures to prevent medical system paralysis in case of an explosive increase in the number of patients during the course of this policy shift,” Kim said.
| A woman is tested for COVID-19 at a temporary testing center in Seoul Plaza, Friday. Yonhap |
Experts also urged the government to improve the patient transportation system, as it is moving to expand home treatment as part of measures for the policy shift.
So far, home treatment has been applied on a limited basis to minors and other virus patients displaying only minor symptoms or who are asymptomatic.
Home treatment will be expanded to patients under the age of 70 who do not require hospitalization, except for certain groups of people, including those who live in places where they are likely to come into contact with others.
Calls for improving the patient transportation system follow the Oct. 21 death of a patient in his 60s who was undergoing home treatment, when his condition deteriorated quickly while he was waiting at home for an ambulance.
This death was the first since the home treatment system was adopted in January of this year.
Experts stressed that people should continue to wear face masks for the time being, including after the policy shift begins to take effect.
“We are hoping that the country will be able to achieve herd immunity once the percentage of fully vaccinated reaches 80 percent, but vaccinations are not a panacea for all problems,” Yeom said. “People should continue to comply with antivirus measures such as wearing face masks.”