Mayor Jung Jang-seon: "Proactive response equivalent to Level 3 quarantine"...Pyeongtaek City strengthens quarantine measures

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] On the 14th, Pyeongtaek City explained the current COVID-19 situation and quarantine measures in the city through an untact briefing held at City Hall.

Mayor Jung Jang-seon said in the briefing, "The number of confirmed cases nationwide has recently exceeded 1,000 per day. In our city alone, over 40 people have been infected in December." He added, "Currently, the government is maintaining social distancing Level 2.5, but Pyeongtaek City plans to establish a quarantine system equivalent to Level 3. While it is not an administrative order, we express the city's determination while seeking cooperation from citizens."

As of 6 p.m. on the 13th, the number of confirmed cases in Pyeongtaek is 586, with 170 from the local community, 32 from overseas entry, and 384 related to the U.S. military.

To expand preemptive testing for COVID-19, Pyeongtaek City has extended the operating hours of the three existing screening clinics until 9 p.m. on weekdays and until 6 p.m. on weekends. Additionally, the city plans to install a temporary screening clinic in the dedicated parking lot for official vehicles next to Pyeongtaek Public Health Center and begin operations from the 14th.

The participating personnel include two medical personnel supported from the central government and military and police personnel. The testing will be conducted through oropharyngeal PCR tests, and it is expected that citizens who avoid exposing personal information will be tested safely with shortened waiting times through anonymous testing.

The city has also secured a designated hospitalization facility. On the 12th, Pyeongtaek Boae Hospital was designated as a central hospital, preparing 220 hospital beds to accommodate confirmed cases. Of these, 80-100 beds are for semi-critical patients. Pyeongtaek City expects that with the designation of a new central hospital, rapid hospitalization treatment for confirmed cases not only in the southern Gyeonggi region but also in nearby Chungcheong Nam Province will proceed more smoothly.

Mayor Jung Jang-seon stated, "Boae Hospital made a difficult decision. Pyeongtaek City will actively support them administratively so they can quickly serve as a dedicated hospital."

Meanwhile, Pyeongtaek City is strengthening cooperation with the U.S. military to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the U.S. military base. Of the 384 confirmed cases related to the U.S. military, 305 are U.S. military personnel, 24 are contract workers, and 55 are family members.

Pyeongtaek City explained that it has sent a total of 12 official documents and letters to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the U.S. military and is conducting quarantine coordination regularly through phone calls.

In particular, regarding the recent dance party incident within the U.S. military base, the city discussed the matter via phone with Michael Tremblay, Commander of Humphreys Base on the 7th, and John Gonzales, Commander of the 51st Combat Flight Wing on the 8th. Both commanders apologized and promised to prevent recurrence.

Additionally, the city held 13 meetings with U.S. military leadership and related agencies and visited military units three times to inspect the quarantine system. Promotional activities targeting the U.S. military and foreigners are also being strengthened.

Pyeongtaek City and the U.S. military plan to jointly respond through the USFK COVID-19 Spread Prevention Working Group (USFK-Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Gyeonggi Province-Pyeongtaek City). The Pyeongtaek Public Health Center and the 65th Medical Squadron of the 8th Army U.S. Forces Korea are pursuing joint responses to infectious diseases, illnesses, and accidents through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The U.S. military also elevated the health protection posture for Seoul and Area II (Seoul, Incheon, Seongnam, Suwon, etc.) from Bravo to Charlie on the 11th, and on the same day, strengthened quarantine measures by restricting access to major commercial areas in Pyeongtaek for 24 hours according to the spread of infection.

Mayor Jung Jang-seon explained, "There have been no cases of COVID-19 spreading from the U.S. military to our residents so far."