Mayor Yeum Tae-young: "We will mobilize all community resources to prepare for the worst-case scenario"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon Mayor Yeum Tae-young said, "Community transmission of COVID-19 has become a reality. We will re-examine and revise our management and control methods."

Mayor Yeum presided over a 'COVID-19 response cooperation meeting with relevant agencies' held at Suwon City Hall's Disaster Safety Situation Room on the 21st and stated "Now that cluster infections have begun, we face an unprecedented grave situation. We must shift the COVID-19 response method that centered on blocking the virus to 'early detection of infected persons followed by rapid isolation and treatment,'" he emphasized.

The meeting was attended by First Vice Mayor Cho Chung-sik, Second Vice Mayor Jo Mu-young, Suwon City Council Speaker Cho Myung-ja, officials from major hospitals including Gyeonggi Province Medical Center Suwon Hospital, MediForum members, and representatives from the Fire Department, Police Department, Suwon Office of Education, and military units (51st Division), who discussed response measures for community spread of COVID-19.

Mayor Yeum said, "If the infectious disease spreads in the community and nosocomial infection occurs, the emergency room could close and the emergency medical care system could collapse. We must strengthen screening services to prevent the existing medical system from collapsing and prepare for situations where confirmed cases increase explosively," he urged.

He further stated, "In preparation for a surge in confirmed cases, check in advance what hospital beds can be secured, and mobilize all community resources to prepare for the worst-case scenario."

Mayor Yeum Tae-young also said, "There are religious groups conducting 'street evangelism' in areas with heavy foot traffic such as around Suwon Station. Send official notices to all religious groups in the city and strongly request 'cessation of street evangelism,'" he instructed.

Meanwhile, according to 'Shincheonji Suwon Church,' there are no members among its congregation who attended services at Daegu Church. The city plans to intensively manage Shincheonji members once it obtains a list of sect members active in the city from the government.

Officials from relevant agencies attending the meeting promised to "actively cooperate in the city's COVID-19 response."

The Suwon Western Police Station, which currently supports security at the temporary living facility (Suwon Youth Hostel), said, "If the city requests enhanced security around the facility, we will provide additional police resources." The 51st Division of the Army stated, "If there is a shortage of civilian medical personnel, we will provide military doctors."

The Fire Department said, "Firefighters who transport suspected patients are placed in self-quarantine for a certain period, but we are short on quarantine space," requesting support for quarantine space. The Suwon Office of Education requested support, saying, "It is difficult for schools to obtain masks and hand sanitizer."

Kim Ji-hun, chairman of the Suwon Medical Association, said, "Lately, there are many complaints that hospitals are refusing treatment, but this is not a refusal to treat—it is directing patients with COVID-19 symptoms to screening clinics. We request cooperation so that suspected patients can be transported by public health center ambulances," he requested.

An official from Ajou University Hospital said, "On the 20th, a suspected COVID-19 patient was transported to the emergency room. After careful consideration, we determined it was better to 'over-respond,' and closed the emergency room until test results came out. If a similar situation occurs again, even if the emergency room is closed, we will continue to operate the hospital so there is no disruption to treatment," he said.