Korea was the first country outside of China to be hit by a
major outbreak of COVID-19. We were
quickly labeled a 'hot-spot' and travelers from Korea were restricted from
entering many countries. It is worthy to
note that over 30% of all air passengers into Korea come from China. Initially, I was critical of the Korean
government for failing to restrict inbound traffic from China but I have come
to realize that sealing borders is fruitless and sends an incorrect message that
"this is a foreign disease we can shut out" when in fact, it is now very
much a local one in every affected country that can only be managed at the
local level.
The first COVID-19 patient was identified in Korea on 20
January. Screening of inbound travelers was implemented at all international
airports. (The systems have been in place since SARS.) Public announcements exhorting people to wash
their hands thoroughly, cover their mouth and wear a mask were posted
everywhere. A month later (February 20), there were 30 confirmed cases but
the number quickly began to grow exponentially.
The government reacted very rapidly. Schools were closed,
large gatherings were postponed or canceled, all trade shows and sporting
events were canceled, 'social distancing' (staying a meter away from others)
was recommended, and the 'hotspot' of Daegu (Korea’s 3rd largest
city and the location of over 70% of all cases), was put themselves in voluntary
'self-quarantine'. From 7 March,
churches were urged to suspend Sunday services. Rapid follow-up with
anyone who had been in contact with a confirmed patient was implemented and
mandatory testing and/or quarantine imposed. In parallel, massive
disinfection efforts have been deployed in airplanes, public transportation
(with 75 million riders per annum), restaurants, public buildings and even the
streets of Daegu.
What is most notable about Korea is that transparent,
factual and comprehensive information on the spread of the disease (number of
people tested, test results, new patients, fatalities, and an app tracking the
recent routes of confirmed cases), was made available to everyone in real
time. Widespread testing (with results available in as little as 2 hours)
was implemented including a creative 'drive through' testing system that
isolated those being tested from health care personnel. (Korea
anticipated this outbreak in response to SARS and MERS and had test kits ready
to deploy.) Korea is testing 15,000
people per day (more than the sum total that the United States has tested to
date) with a total of over 250,000 citizens tested. The cost of testing
is affordable (less than $150) with waivers for confirmed patients and the financially
disadvantaged. Interestingly, Korea has not banned travel to or from any
country!
The national health system has been able to manage all
confirmed cases and no one has been turned away from the hospital, even in the
virus’s epicenter in the city of Daegu. Korea has taken special care of its
elderly with volunteers providing assistance, and priority given to providing
masks and protective gear. Even Korea's elderly are highly 'connected' with
near universal penetration of smart phones.
The whole community follows emergency alerts (which are broadcast nearly
every hour) updating the numbers and locations of confirmed patients. Furthermore, they are able to summon help
when needed.
Not only have all citizens been urged to wear masks, the
distribution of masks has been organized fairly and transparently via
pharmacies, post offices and farmer’s cooperatives. Waiting times in lines have
shrunk from hours to minutes. Each
citizen is entitled to two masks per week. The price is fixed so gouging is
impossible. Each purchase is registered so there is public confidence that no
one is using influence or connections to beat the system.
The civic response to COVID-19 in Korea must not be
underestimated. Citizens have risen to
the challenge. Panic-buying and hoarding
are non-existent. With the exception of
masks (see above) there are no products that are unavailable and no bare
shelves in the supermarkets. Mrs. Kim (who took care of our daughter when she
was young and is now in her 80s) told us she had seen reports there was a
shortage of toilet paper and rushed to the supermarket to buy some. Seeing that the shelves were fully stocked,
she realized that she was being foolish and returned home without buying any.
Korea's aggressive response seems to have been
effective. Now, less than four weeks since the crisis exploded, we have
had seven straight days of a declining number of newly diagnosed patients (with
only one 'bump' in the middle). The number of new cases on 15 March was
75. Since 12 March, the number of patients who have recovered from the disease
and been discharged from hospital exceeded the number of new cases. While this
is no time to be complacent and we are not out of the woods yet, all
indications are that Korea has met the challenge and appears to be getting the
upper hand.
I observe Korea's response to COVID-19 with a mixture of
pride and humbleness. As a life-long
resident of Seoul (and fourth generation American to live here), I have always
been proud of this country and its achievements. Having witnessed the transition from a 'basket
case' of poverty and starvation to a modern, vibrant, dynamic nation of
abundance, it is a model to the world.
At the same time, I have been a sometime vocal critic of the government,
the education system and corporate culture and urged changes to meet the uncertain
challenges of the future. However, Korea
performs well in crises. All levels of government
have exceeded my expectations. The
response to the COVID-19 outbreak has been exemplary and is being referenced in
many other countries as a model to follow now and for the next outbreak that is
bound to come. It is time for the globe
to remove Korea from the banned country list and to respect that the response
here was mature, rational, democratic and most importantly, effective.
대한민국 만세!
Peter Underwood, Managing Partner
For up to date information: Korean Ministry of Health and
Welfare Infection Rate Tracker
