2024-05-01 01:29:05
The long fight against COVID-19 has come to an end after four years and three months. Since the first confirmed case occurred in Korea on January 20, 2020, the struggle with no vaccine, no treatment, and a virus called COVID-19, which had never been seen before, has ended in about four years.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 1st, the COVID-19 crisis level, which increases from concern → caution → warning → serious, will be adjusted to the lowest level, ‘concern’, and all legal obligations for quarantine measures will be lifted.
The COVID-19 crisis level was first issued as ‘caution’ in January 2020, when the first confirmed case occurred in Korea. Afterwards, the crisis level was adjusted to ‘severe’ in February when the first death occurred, and in May of last year, it was lowered to ‘alert’, and COVID-19 was declared endemic.
However, there were limitations that prevented it from reaching a ‘complete endemic’, such as still requiring the wearing of masks in hospital-level medical institutions.
However, as the power of COVID-19 gradually decreased, including △ a significant decrease in the number of confirmed cases △ the predominance of the JN.1 mutation △ a decrease in the fatality rate and severity rate, the quarantine authorities reduced the COVID-19 crisis stage to level 3, ‘alert’, for the first time in about a year. It was lowered two levels from ‘to level 1, ‘interest’.
In fact, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 (sample surveillance) shows a rapid decreasing trend from 5,528 people in the 2nd week of March → 4,871 people in the 3rd week of March → 3,814 people in the 4th week of March → 2,966 people in the 1st week of April. there is.
The fatality rate by year also decreased from 2.19% in 2020 → 0.91% in 2021 → 0.09% in 2022 → 0.06% in 2023. The severity rate also decreased from 4.34% in 2020 → 2.26% in 2021 → 0.14% in 2022 → 0.15% in 2023.
Accordingly, even after COVID-19 was adjusted to a ‘level 4 infectious disease’, similar to the flu, in August last year, all quarantine measures that had been implemented as ‘partially mandatory’ were changed to recommendations, and the standard for recommending isolation of confirmed cases was also previously ‘recommended 5 days from the date of sample collection’. ‘ to ‘Until 24 hours after the main symptoms of COVID-19, such as coughing and fever over 37 degrees, have improved.’
In addition, the operation of the Corona Virus Infectious Disease-19 Central Accident Control Headquarters (Heavy Control Headquarters) and the Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters will come to an end.
Ji Young-mi, head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said at the Central Disaster Prevention Center meeting held on the 19th of last month, “This is the last meeting that marks the end of a long journey of four years and three months since the Central Disaster Prevention Agency was formed in January 2020.” “Although the operation of the countermeasures headquarters has ended, we will ensure that there are no gaps in response through the operation of the COVID-19 countermeasures team within the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.”
The medical support system aims to be incorporated into the general medical system at the same level as the seasonal flu, but as a transitional step, it will be adjusted to minimize the burden of testing and treatment costs to protect high-risk groups.
Testing costs will be supported only for symptomatic patients in the high-risk group. Genetic amplification (PCR) testing is only supported for groups subject to oral treatment, such as those over 60 years of age, those with underlying diseases and immunocompromised people over 12 years of age.
The cost of rapid antigen test (RAT) is supported for patients receiving oral treatment, as well as patients in nursing facilities located in medically underserved areas, patients admitted to the emergency room, and patients admitted to the intensive care unit.
Hospitalization treatment costs will continue to be covered by health insurance. However, government support for some seriously ill patients will be terminated, but the burden will be lowered through an ‘out-of-pocket cap system’ that refunds the difference when medical expenses reach the level of causing an economic burden on the household.
In the case of treatments such as Paxrovid, which are supported for high-risk groups for COVID-19, the registration process for health insurance coverage is underway, but some out-of-pocket costs are calculated during the transition period before registration.
A fee of 50,000 won, which is about 5% of the weighted average price of the three types of treatments depending on the frequency of use, is charged. However, free support is maintained for medical benefit recipients and those in the next tier for out-of-pocket reduction.
Free vaccination will be maintained for all citizens only until the 2023-2024 vaccination season, and starting from the 2024-2025 vaccination season, free vaccination will be provided only to high-risk groups such as those aged 65 or older and those with weakened immune systems.
(Seoul = News 1)
2024-05-01 01:29:05