Gov't reviews home treatment for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients

People stand in line to receive a coronavirus test at a makeshift testing center near Seoul Station, Monday. Yonhap

President apologizes for imposing strictest virus curbs

By Lee Hyo-jin

The government is considering introducing a home treatment plan for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients amid growing concerns that the ongoing spike in infections especially in Seoul and its neighboring areas may lead to a shortage of hospital beds.

Unlike during the third wave of infections last winter when Korea suffered a shortage of ICU beds for critically ill patients, the country is currently facing a potential shortage of beds in residential treatment centers where patients with mild symptoms stay.

According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of Sunday, over 75 percent of beds in such treatment centers in the capital area are occupied as the number of COVID-19 patients with asymptomatic or mild symptoms has continued to increase especially among people in their 20s and 30s.

A total of 33 residential treatment centers are being operated across Seoul, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and the port city of Incheon, with 6,874 beds, among which only 1,624 are currently available.

As the daily caseload nationwide has remained above 1,000 for six consecutive days, with infections concentrated in the metropolitan area, the care system for patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms may face serious problems in the coming weeks.

“As there can be an unexpected increase in the number of infections, we are considering either to mobilize treatment centers in other regions outside the capital area, or review at-home treatment for asymptomatic patients who are living alone,” health ministry spokesman Sohn Young-rae said at a briefing, Sunday.

According to Sohn, home treatment for COVID-19 is currently available for children aged 12 or under who are in need of care from their parents or guardians. The government is reviewing whether to expand the treatment for young asymptomatic patients of single-person households.

“For home treatment, medical workers constantly monitor the patients' condition through phone calls. We are considering whether it will be possible to operate this system more actively.”

Since May 2021, 669 coronavirus patients, or 0.66 percent of the total number of patients have been treated at home, according to the health ministry.

But it noted that it does not plan to immediately expand the system, as “even if the patient is asymptomatic or is having mild symptoms, it is more effective to hospitalize them at facilities in order to prevent further virus spread.”

The government also plans to additionally secure 5,354 hospital beds for patients with mild symptoms by the end of July, in cooperation with local governments in the capital area by mobilizing university dormitories and accommodation facilities at training centers of state-run institutions.

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, on COVID-19 response measures. Yonhap

Meanwhile, as the country grapples with its fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, President Moon Jae-in call for public participation in quarantine measures to overcome “the most critical moment” since the coronavirus outbreak here, while apologizing for imposing stringent distancing measures.

Starting Monday, the toughest level of social distancing, Level 4, has been imposed in Seoul and the greater capital area for two weeks, under which private gatherings of over two people are banned after 6 p.m.

“Implementation of social distancing Level 4 is the most intensive measure we can take without imposing a lockdown. This aims to raise public awareness to the greatest level, and tackle the current virus situation in a short period of time,” he said during a meeting on special quarantine measures in the capital area, attended by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and Incheon Mayor Park Nam-choon.

He also stressed the role of the heads of local governments in containing the virus spread in the capital area, and vowed to support them with all resources necessary in their quarantine activities.