Policy Disparities in Response to COVID-19 between China and South Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

This study analyzed the effects of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical measures between China and South Korea to share experiences with other countries in the struggle against SARS-CoV-2.

METHODS:

We used the generalized linear model to examine the associations between non-pharmaceutical measures adopted by China and South Korea and the number of confirmed cases. Policy disparities were also discussed between these two countries.

RESULTS:

The results show that the following factors influence the number of confirmed cases in China: lockdown of Wuhan city (LWC); establishment of a Leading Group by the Central Government; raising the public health emergency response to the highest level in all localities; classifying management of "four categories of personnel"; makeshift hospitals in operation (MHIO); pairing assistance (PA); launching massive community screening (LMCS). In South Korea, these following factors were the key influencing factors of the cumulative confirmed cases: raising the public alert level to orange (three out of four levels); raising the public alert to the highest level; launching drive-through screening centers (LDSC); screening all members of Shincheonji religious group; launching Community Treatment Center (LCTC); distributing public face masks nationwide and quarantining all travelers from overseas countries for 14 days.

CONCLUSION:

Based on the analysis of the generalized linear model, we found that a series of non-pharmaceutical measures were associated with contain of the COVID-19 outbreak in China and South Korea. The following measures were crucial for both of them to fight against the COVID-19 epidemic: a strong national response system, expanding diagnostic tests, establishing makeshift hospitals, and quarantine or lockdown affected areas.

• Authors: Haiqian Chen, Leiyu Shi, Yuyao Zhang, Xiaohan Wang, Gang Sun
• Journal: Journal of epidemiology and global health (J Epidemiol Glob Health) Vol. 11 Issue 2 Pg. 246-252 (Jun 2021) ISSN: 2210-6014 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 33876595 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press International B.V.

Topics

• COVID-19 (epidemiology, prevention & control)
• China (epidemiology)
• Communicable Disease Control (legislation & jurisprudence)
• Health Policy (legislation & jurisprudence)
• Humans
• Republic of Korea (epidemiology)
• SARS-CoV-2