From the 31st, the Corona 19 grade will be lowered to grade 4… Stop counting confirmed cases

Director Ji Young-mi of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on the 23rd that the grade of the Corona 19 infectious disease will be lowered from Level 2 to Level 4 on the 31st.

Commissioner Ji made this clear in his remarks at the Central Accident Control Headquarters (heavy water version) meeting that day, saying, “It is time to shift the goal to focus on protecting high-risk groups rather than counting and managing the number of confirmed cases per day.” I want to manage it,” he said.

“For healthy people, the risk of Corona 19 has decreased to the level of influenza (flu), and the medical response capacity is sufficiently secured,” said Commissioner Ji.

“The spread of Corona 19, which had been increasing since the 4th week of June, has recently slowed down and turned to a declining trend, and the overall quarantine situation is being stably managed,” he said. We have already stopped counting the number of confirmed cases per day, and the general medical system is managing it,” he added.

Infectious diseases are classified into grades 1 to 4 according to the reporting time and isolation level, with grade 4 being the lowest level.

Influenza, acute respiratory infections, and hand, foot and mouth disease are grade 4. Currently, COVID-19 is classified as second-grade along with tuberculosis, measles, cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, and Hansen’s disease.

Corona 19 was classified as level 1 immediately after inflow into Korea in January 2020, became level 2 on April 25 last year, and then lowered to level 4 again in about a year and 4 months.

Instead of stopping daily counting of confirmed cases, the Agency for Disease Control and Prevention closely monitors the trend and variation of COVID-19 on a weekly basis.

It plans to operate a multi-layer surveillance system by operating COVID-19 proton surveillance and sewage-based surveillance through 527 surveillance agencies, and by upgrading the existing integrated sample surveillance system for 400 respiratory infectious diseases.

Commissioner Ji said, “Although it will be converted to a grade 4 infectious disease, high-risk groups such as the elderly and immunocompromised people still need protection.”

“We will maintain some of the national medical expenses so that people with symptoms of COVID-19 can receive prompt diagnosis and treatment,” he said. The operation of screening clinics will be maintained for the time being for free gene amplification (PCR) testing at the facility.”

He said, “We will support part of the cost of inpatient treatment for severely ill patients until the end of the year and supply vaccines and treatments free of charge to minimize the burden on the public.” .

In addition, he said, “We will secure additional medications to eat in preparation for the winter epidemic, while expanding the number of pharmacies in charge to increase accessibility.”

The infectious disease rating is lowered to level 4, but the crisis level remains at ‘alert’, and the government response system centered on the Central Accident Handling Headquarters (heavy water headquarters, Ministry of Health and Welfare) and Central Defense Countermeasure Headquarters (Bangdaebon, Disease Control and Prevention Agency) continues.

Commissioner Ji said, “We will drastically reduce the burden of work on local governments and the medical community, such as managing confirmed cases, through the 4th grade conversion.” said.

(Source: Yonhap News / Translation of an article : Miso from JT News)