World on Coronavirus Alert.
Incheon is currently operating a 24-hour ironclad defense system in connection with related agencies, county and ward offices, office of education, fire department, and airport and port authorities to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
The government of Incheon and ten county and ward offices are operating the National Emergency Management Agency around the clock and an emergency contact system to prevent the spread of the infectious disease. Also, an emergency handling system is kept active through a hotline between the central government, Incheon government, and Incheon Police Station to prevent epidemics thoroughly and timely, and the authorities are also cooperating with ten county and ward health centers and 20 medical institutions that are separately treating coronavirus patients with concentrated efforts to cope with the infectious disease.
First of all, Incheon examined all 94 people coming from Wuhan (January 13-23, 2020) to seal off the spread of the disease in the local community entirely. Incheon is also sending emergency supplies such as hand sanitizers, hand cleansers, masks, antibiotic wet tissues, and hand soaps to public health centers of each county and ward that are treating coronavirus patients separately. It is also keeping sufficient stock of supplies by determining additional demands. Incheon is also sanitizing, stocking sanitizers, and publicizing preventive measures at group facilities, such as responsive institutions, participating agencies, schools, and facilities for the elderly and the challenged, where people can be easily exposed to infection. Incheon also installed thermal sensors in areas used by citizens inside Incheon City Hall. In addition, large events were temporarily postponed and publicly used facilities such as the Yeonan Pier Passenger Terminal (thermal fogging sterilization) and Songdo Convensia (antiseptic sterilization) were repeatedly sterilized.
In particular, Incheon has intensified emergency measures to maintain a thorough ironclad defense through the cooperation with the public sector even during the weekends. “We are asking all medical institutions to install International Travel Services (ITS) that provide information on overseas travel history or Drug Utilization Review (DUR) on safe drug-use to be prepared and prevent the infection of the novel coronavirus,” said Namchun Park, Mayor of Incheon. He added, “Public and private sectors should make the best efforts together to put an end to the novel coronavirus as early as possible.” Incheon also compiled an emergency budget of 2.7 billion won on February 2 (Sunday), including 300 million won spent on purchasing diagnosis equipment and reagents* that can quickly determine infection status in ten counties and wards and 730 million won for purchasing thermal cameras.
Meanwhile, Incheon took immediate measures to receive reports and provide consultation regarding the novel coronavirus through ☎119. The Korea National Institute of Health (☎1339), fire station (☎119), and Michuhol Call Center (☎120) are also providing consultation and information about medical institutions that treat coronavirus patients.
Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education is also operating an emergency response team to manage the sterilization of daycare centers, schools, and private schools thoroughly for the beginning of the school year. The office of education gave instructions to examine everyone who visited the Hubei region of China, including students and teachers and the students and teachers with travel history and order them to quarantine themselves considering the latent period (cease attendance for fourteen days without punishing for absence). Also, all teachers and school staff are instructed to thoroughly study the prevention manual, educate students to wash their hands every day and practice coughing manners, and take sanitary measures such as sterilizing to intensify the infection prevention system within the school.
Incheon government, Incheon International Airport Corporation, Incheon National Quarantine Station, Incheon Immigration Office, Incheon Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, and Incheon Port Authority established a thorough mutual-assistance system and doubled efforts to ensure that everyone is examined and everything is sanitized.
In addition, a separate board is created in Incheon’s homepage to display the Code of Conduct for Preventing Infection, medical institutions that treat coronavirus patients, etc. in real-time and it is continuously posting announcements through all public institutions’ social media platforms and homepage popup windows.
<Korea National Institute of Health ‘National Code of Conduct for Preventing Infection’>
- Frequently wash hands under running water for at least 30 seconds
- Cover yourself with tissue or your sleeve when coughing
- People with respiratory symptoms such as coughing must wear masks
- When a symptom of infection is found, be sure to inform the medical staff of your overseas travel history and report to the 1339 Call Center or local public health center.
