Lee Jae-myung: "Will Accept Severe COVID-19 Patients Through Consultations, but Must Preserve Gyeonggi Province Resources"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung stated that while he will consult and accept severe COVID-19 patients from other regions, the province must preserve resources in preparation for the possibility of a large-scale outbreak within Gyeonggi Province.

Governor Lee expressed this position on the 27th at a meeting with directors of major general hospitals in Gyeonggi Province held at the Provincial Government Situation Room. The meeting was arranged to discuss countermeasures with medical experts and request cooperation regarding community spread of COVID-19. Attending the meeting were directors from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Ajou University Hospital, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital Ansan, along with Kim Jae-hun, Director of the Provincial Health and Wellness Bureau, and Lim Seung-gwan, Director of Gyeonggi Province Medical Center Anseong Hospital.

Governor Lee exchanged opinions with attendees regarding Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin's request for Gyeonggi Province to accept hundreds of mild COVID-19 confirmed cases from Daegu.
He stated, "From a humanitarian perspective, we cannot refuse to accept critically ill patients, but we must secure hospital beds for Gyeonggi Province residents," and added, "We will consult on accepting severe patients, but will not accept mild cases and should preserve resources to the maximum extent possible."

This is necessary as concerns about a large-scale outbreak centered on Shincheonji Gwacheon worship attendees emerged since the 16th. In fact, as of that day, eight confirmed cases had occurred among Gwacheon worship attendees, and among the 4,890 Gyeonggi Province residents identified among Gwacheon worship attendees secured by the province, 215 symptomatic individuals were discovered, indicating a high possibility of additional confirmed cases.

At the meeting, Anseong Hospital Director Lim Seung-gwan also presented on COVID-19 outbreak status and response measures in Gyeonggi Province.
Director Lim stated, "This is a time when an outbreak minimization and mitigation strategy is needed to respond to community spread," and added, "It is necessary to reduce contact frequency during the early stages of symptom onset, provide new forms of medical services to promptly identify infected patients, and manage hospital bed resources efficiently."
As strategies for this, he proposed ▲operating a telephone consultation center six days a week for mild symptoms to minimize unnecessary hospital visits ▲operating large-scale screening centers in drive-through format.

That afternoon, Governor Lee held meetings with six medical organizations in the province: the Gyeonggi Province Medical Association, Dental Association, Korean Medicine Association, Nursing Association, Nursing Assistant Association, and Clinical Pathology Association.
At this meeting, Governor Lee stated, "Because a situation similar to Daegu could suddenly occur, it is necessary to secure sufficient reserve resources and personnel capacity, which is why we are requesting cooperation," and discussed medical personnel utilization plans with attendees.