Covid cases in hospitals across Korea witness a fourth consecutive weekly increase, with potential continuation until August.
In June 2021, South Korea was on the brink of the Delta variant wave, but the country maintained strict COVID-19 control measures. These measures, including hospitalization policies, were a carryover from pre-pandemic management strategies that led to longer hospital stays and more cautious admission criteria.
During this period, South Korea relied heavily on its "3 T" strategy - extensive testing, tracing, and treatment - along with four stages of social distancing to contain the virus and prevent hospital overload [5]. As a result, hospitalizations in general hospitals reflected these strategies, with longer length of stay (LoS) and careful ward transfers due to ongoing mandatory hospitalization policies to isolate and treat patients more cautiously [2].
Compared to later periods, hospitalization rates and LoS in June 2021 were relatively higher. This was because the Delta variant, with its refined protocols and shorter LoS, had not yet taken hold [2].
In summary, South Korea's general hospital COVID-19 hospitalization trend in June 2021 was characterised by steady but cautious admissions under strict control policies, with longer hospital stays and proactive management aiming to contain viral spread before the Delta variant wave intensified in the summer [2][5]. Despite a rising number of daily confirmed cases, they were still lower than the record daily peaks seen in August 2021 [1].
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In the context of South Korea's COVID-19 management in June 2021, the health-and-wellness sector implemented a proactive approach, leveraging science and medical-conditions knowledge to establish strict hospitalization policies that led to longer hospital stays [2]. This strategy, known as the "3 T" strategy and the four stages of social distancing, was instrumental in maintaining the country's health amidst the Delta variant wave [5].
