Lessons From Korea’s flareups |
Everyone’s talking about a second wave. In South Korea, they’re actively prepping for it, and the plans won’t center on locking down cities or banning group activities. Having successfully fended off a massive outbreak earlier this year -- without imposing severe restrictions -- the Asian nation is preparing for an even bigger one by bolstering and refining its tried-and-true approach of aggressive testing and contact tracing. And Korea’s virus fighters are getting help from the most unlikely places: small flareups that are providing invaluable lessons and experience to combat future outbreaks.  Pedestrians wearing protective masks cross a road in Daejeon, South Korea. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg The knowledge gained from putting out these fires has translated into several new virus fighting techniques. For instance, a recent spread at gay nightclubs where customers were reticent about coming forward led health authorities to offer free, anonymous testing. And to avoid similar obstacles to contact tracing, investigators introduced a QR code registration system for “high-risk” facilities. Such examples reflect the country’s no-shutdown approach, which perhaps derives from a realization that the pandemic won’t be going away anytime soon. So, why should anyone pay attention to what’s happening in Seoul? Consider this: South Korea and the U.S. confirmed their first coronavirus case on the same day in late January. By late February, Korea had the world’s second-worst outbreak. Now it has the second-least number of cases and deaths among G-20 nations, and all without imposing draconian measures.--Peter Pae |
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