South Korea's responses to stop the COVID-19 pandemic

Highlights

• Aggressive responses to COVID-19 were successful in controlling an initial peak

• Korea's government reformed the epidemic preparedness system after MERS in 2015.

• Expanding rapid tests, case tracking/isolation, and information sharing were key.

• Hospitals set up selective clinics and safe clinics outside for patient screening.

• Hospitals modified personal protective equipment use and health care personnel report related symptoms daily.

Abstract

Background

South Korea's aggressive responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have greatly slowed the epidemic without regional lockdowns.

Methods

The Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's daily briefings were thoroughly reviewed. Information about hospital countermeasures and government coordination was collected via telephone interviews with 4 infection control team leaders, 1 emergency department nurse, and 1 infectious disease physician in Korea.

Results

After the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak, the government and hospitals prepared for the inevitable outbreak of emerging infectious diseases by reforming the epidemic preparedness system. As a result, COVID-19 diagnostic test kits were quickly developed, enabling extensive early detection of potential cases. Other key steps were tracking cases, finding exposed individuals, coordinating case assignments with health care facilities, and selective clinic screenings for visitors’ entering hospitals with mandatory mask wearing. Consequently, after overcoming the initial peak of the outbreak, which was related to a religious group, Korea has been able to maintain daily new cases at around 100 and to less than 50 daily cases in the second week of April.

Conclusions

To counter the COVID-19 pandemic, which may persist, long-term, sustained response strategies must be prepared along with coordination between government and health systems.