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On the morning of the fourth morning, a quarantine official is reviewing documents of foreign immigrants at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, with the first case of community group infection of the UK mutant virus the day before. Yeongjongdo = Yonhap News
Concerns are growing about the mutant virus of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19). In Korea, a group infection of foreign relatives of Gyeongnam and Jeonnam with a mutant virus from the United Kingdom was confirmed. Abroad, in addition to the UK, mutant viruses in South Africa and Brazil are spreading to dozens of countries.
The infectious power of the mutant virus is known to be very strong and there are concerns that it may defeat the urgently developed vaccine. For this reason, some point out that the possibility of a fourth pandemic may arise in March-April caused by a mutant virus, and a second shock different from last year. Experts call for drastic measures, such as strengthening the quarantine for foreign immigrants and expanding the analysis of the entire genome (the entire virus gene).
On the 4th, Kwon Jun-wook, head of the 2nd vice president of the Central Defense Countermeasures Headquarters, admitted that “it was true that there was a gap in the handling of foreign immigrants”, in relation to the group infection with relatives of foreigners in Gyeongnam and Jeollanam-do, where 4 people were confirmed infected with the British mutant virus. Quarantine authorities are examining about 200 people linked to the four.
① “Let’s strengthen quarantine measures for foreign immigrants”
Currently, foreign immigrants are quarantined in their homes for two weeks after being screened for Corona 19 immediately upon entering the country. However, there are many cases in which they test positive only on the 13th, just before the quarantine was launched. Poor insulation at home can cause the community to spread through the family. Furthermore, two out of four foreigners infected with the British mutant virus this time tested positive even after 23 days. It has twice the time of its known persistence.
For this reason, some argue that all foreign immigrants should be quarantined. Eun-mi Cheon, a professor of respiratory internal medicine at Ewha University Mokdong Hospital, said: “There are more cases of self-isolation than quarantine at the airport, and the incubation period is longer than two weeks.” “After quarantining the facility for two weeks using a life treatment center in any country, it is necessary to re-isolate for a week and perform the corona 19 test three times.”
However, the government avoided an immediate response. Kwon, the second vice president, said: “To hold an average of about 4,000 each day for 14 days, a quarantine facility for 56,000 people must be secured, even if it is a simple calculation,” he said. “I will examine it in various aspects.”
② “Let’s increase virus scanning”
Mutation is the process by which a virus changes to survive. So, variations can occur in Korea. Professor Chun Byung-cheol from the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Korea University School of Medicine said: “Since the corona 19 epidemic has passed a year, we need to increase mutation testing.” Said.
A complete genome analysis is required to confirm the mutation. The total electrical genome analysis carried out from January last year to the present is 2,604, with a national and foreign proportion of 7 to 3. Currently, only 10-20% of all those who arrive in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil , United Arab Emirates, Syria and Africa, and the rest are sampled for full genomic analysis. Kwon’s second deputy chief said: “In accordance with the pattern of variation, we are also considering ways to expand the selection of tests and complete samples, and to increase the scale of analysis in cooperation with private organizations.”
③ “Proceed quickly with vaccination”
Quarantine authorities will soon propose measures to strengthen the quarantine, taking into account the severity of the mutant virus. However, there are views that it is almost impossible to block the spread of the mutant virus in Korea unless immigration is completely blocked.
The UK mutation has already been confirmed in 80 countries, South Africa in 41 countries and Brazil in 10 countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of countries with mutations in the UK is increasing rapidly in about 10 countries in the last week. In the Netherlands, an estimated two-thirds of new cases have been infected with the British mutation in the last week. In the United States, mutations were confirmed in Great Britain, South Africa, and Brazil in 31 states.
The worst case scenario is when a mutant virus defeats a vaccine that has been developed so far. There is already concern that the South African mutant and the additional UK mutant virus could reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. The clinical data for the South African mutation were the NovaVax and Janssen vaccines, with only 49.4% and 57% preventive effects, respectively. Because of this, there are voices that the vaccine should be administered as soon as possible before the spread of the mutation.
Lim So-hyung reporter [email protected]
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