Welfare committee passed a set of three bills about COVID-19

ITS is mandatory for physicians & pharmacists, passed without Penalty

Free mask to vulnerable people during infection warning

The parliamentary welfare committee approved the three measures about COVID-19 at the plenary session on the 20th morning Three bills about COVID-19 were thus reviewed by the Legislation-Judiciary Committee.

 

After passing through the judiciary committee, the final plenary session must be resolved before the final promulgation can be made.

 

A revision to the infectious disease act calls for permitting the government to provide face masks for free to people who are vulnerable to infections when the country's contagious disease alert level is raised to the level above "caution", the measure also calls for doctors and pharmacists to check patients' records of foreign travel via a shared information program when they prescribe medication, for the establishment and monitoring of medical-related infections, and the increase in the number of epidemiological investigators.

 

On the 20th, the Committee decided on 13 amendments in the Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Act, Medical Law and Quarantine Act.

 

◆Amendment to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act=When a warning of abnormality was issued under the Basic Act on Disaster and Safety Management due to the spread of infectious diseases, a bill was issued to provide free masks to the vulnerable people such as children and the elderly who use social welfare facilities.

 

In order to prevent recurrence of problems such as mask purchase disturbances, a bill that prohibits the export or export of goods such as masks and antiseptics during the period announced by the Minister of Health and Welfare if a sudden rise in prices or supply shortages such as medicines occurs due to the first-class infectious disease epidemic passed by the Welfare Committee The number of quarantine officials at the health ministry would rise to more than 100 from the current 30.

 

In some cities, counties, and districts, there is a legal basis for mandatory epidemiological investigators.

 

The bill also stipulates that health professionals, who are directly involved in patient care, prescription, and medication, such as medical workers, pharmacists, and heads of health care institutions, can check the patient's overseas travel information system at all times.

 

However, the bill will not be punished even though it is not followed because the penalty clause has been deleted.

 

◆Amendment to the Medical Law=A bill was proposed to change the name of hospital infections to medical-related infections and legislation was passed to establish and embody justice.

 

Evidence for compliance with medical institutions for the prevention of medical infections is also established.

 

The medical system infection monitoring system was strengthened, and legal basis for self-reporting of infection control of medical institutions was also established.

 

The extension of the designation and mandate of infection control personnel to all medical institutions, including local clinics, was removed from the subcommittee.

 

◆Amendment to the Quarantine Act=The point of Quarantine Act is that allows the Minister of Health and Welfare to ask the Minister of Justice to ban or suspend the entry into or through a country where a person is confirmed.

 

The government has secured a legal basis for prohibiting the entry and entry of confirmed or suspected suspects in case of new infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

 

The Minister of Welfare, Neunghoo Park, expressed his appreciation for the resolution of a set of three bills about COVID-19 by th Welfare committee.

 

In particular, The Minister, Park requested adjustment only for the timing of the implementation of some provisions, and the Commission decided to accept the final decision.

 

The Minister, Park said, "Some of the bills have been in force for six months after the promulgation.

 

In consideration of the urgency and importance (of COVID-19), some provisions should be adjusted immediately and the penalty clause should be adjusted to one month of promulgation, and the provisions that define the definition of suspects, the self-containment facilities for suspected infectious diseases, and the provision of overseas travel history information provisions should be promptly promulgated, and the relevant penalties need to be adjusted one month after the promulgation".