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Over the next 14 days, as I continue to quarantine, I'll share my first-hand experience of how the South Korean government is thinking out of the box to fight the COVID-19. I hope the rest of the world will observe, learn and step up to fight this global pandemic together /4
1/ On the night of my departure, @flySFO was a ghost town operating only 2 flights from @KoreanAir_KE and @united
2/ as I was checking in, the @KoreanAir_KE employee explained a new regulation which mandates foreign nationals for a short-term stay (up to 90 days) who do not have registered residence in Korea to be admitted to a government designated shelter-in-facility.
3/ Signing the consent form was a prerequisite to getting my boarding pass so I didn’t have a choice.
4/ @KoreanAir_KE did a great job at staggering boarding groups and separating seats out. All passengers were vigilant and mostly wearing masks - some took the extra precaution with waterproof rain ponchos 
5/ Upon arrival in Seoul, everyone was instructed to fill out the health declaration form, line up for a temperature test, and download a self-quarantine safety protection app.
6/ ... while this genius COVID-19 version of baby shark song was playing in the background
7/ After the immigration check and baggage claim, non-Korean citizens who meet government facility quarantine criteria were selected in a group and escorted out by the (friendly) Army officials, policemen and anonymous people in hazard suits.
8/ They were nice enough to let me enjoy my last #COVID19 style (featuring nitrite gloves) iced cafe latte from @CoffeeBeanLV
9/ As we were escorted to the shuttle, we passed an impressive sets of makeshift #COVID19 testing tents at the Incheon airport curbside, unfortunately, unlike @flySFO
10/ We boarded on a shuttle arranged by the South Korean government - again, staggered seats with only 1 person / section.
11/ After ~2 hours of drive along beautiful spring cherry blossoms, we were greeted by a group of hard working but tired healthcare professionals for checkin
12/ I am currently @pti0341 at the Korean police development institute (충청남도 인재 경찰교육원), which was recently converted to a shelter-in-facility for non-Korean foreign travelers. While I cannot leave my room for the next 14 days, it’s a nice place to seek quarantine. – at 경찰교육원
13/ so, right before I flew out to Seoul, I serendipitously stumbled upon @kkendd ‘s tweets, a fellow non-Korean citizen who was admitted to the same shelter-in-facility a few days back and sharing his experience on Twitter.
14/ Based on @kkendd ‘s tweets I got a heads up that the Korean government designated shelter-in-facility would be similar to my college dorm 
15/ I repacked like a freshman entering a new dorm and brought my own pillow and bedding - thanks, @Target , for $29.99 cheek bed sheets
16/ The shelter-in-facility delivers me a variety of meals x3 a day. Breakfast @ 8am. Lunch @ noon. Dinner @ 6pm. cc:// @vincentchu
17/ First lunch was ham and cheese sandwich with chicken salad
18/ First dinner was Korean spicy pork bento and seaweed with a “do not leave your room” notice
19/ This morning, I received tonkatsu & cream cheese kimbap (Korean sushi) with a fresh fruit cup. If I were back in the Bay, I would have had to pay $8 for a fresh fruit cup @WholeFoods !
20/ Every day, hardworking healthcare professionals in full hazard suits drop off food x3. They also come x2 a day to check everyone’s temperature. Must be uncomfortable to be wearing PPE all day everyday 
매일 땀 뻘뻘 흘리며 열일 하시는 직원분들 뵈면 감사하고 안타까워요
매일 땀 뻘뻘 흘리며 열일 하시는 직원분들 뵈면 감사하고 안타까워요
21/ But, most of all, I am most touched by the thoughtful letter sent by the center manager who’s in charge of this shelter-in-facility.
22/ I met Director Hyun Sook Um (엄현숙 센터장님) of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) during my checkin. As I explained my situation and fear of not being with my mom by the hospital bed if anything terrible were to happen, Director Um cried with me.
23/ While sympathetic, Director Um explained the protocol and convinced me that the best thing I can do for me and my mom is to stay at the shelter-in-facility under professional care to rule out any possibility of COVID19, especially since my cancer fighting mom is at high risk.
24/ Generally, this is what you can expect in South Korean shelter-in-facility.
25/ Anyone who enters South Korea (whether a Korean citizen seeking shelter-in-home or non-Korean citizen seeking shelter-in-facility) needs to fill out a self diagnosis app. Even from a Silicon Valley PM’s perspective, this app is very user friendly. @DanGrover, thoughts?
26/ it also helps that South Korean government is applying a tiered approach to split up the groups into COVID19 symptomatic vs. asymptomatic for customized care.
27/ In short, South Korea is successfully fighting against COVID 19 w/:
(1) Comprehensive detection - Coronavirus test kits & drive through tests
(2) Effective triage -of asymptomatic vs. symptomatic
(3) Continuous monitoring - w/ self diagnosis app and location based monitoring
(1) Comprehensive detection - Coronavirus test kits & drive through tests
(2) Effective triage -of asymptomatic vs. symptomatic
(3) Continuous monitoring - w/ self diagnosis app and location based monitoring
27/ If you are a non-Korean citizen entering South Korea on a short term visa and subject to 14 days of COVID19 shelter-in-facility at a government designated shelter, here are extra things that I recommend you bring (see tweet #28)
28/
1) pens, paper and post its (in case you want to ask questions via notes on the door)
2) electric water boiler (if you are a coffee/tea drinker)
3) Instant coffee/tea & thermos
4) towel (towel here’s pretty thin)
5) basic meds (just in case)
6) extra snacks and food
1) pens, paper and post its (in case you want to ask questions via notes on the door)
2) electric water boiler (if you are a coffee/tea drinker)
3) Instant coffee/tea & thermos
4) towel (towel here’s pretty thin)
5) basic meds (just in case)
6) extra snacks and food
29/ S. Korea’s manual to tackle COVID-19: Trace, test and treat. https://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/koreas-response-covid-19-early-lessons-tackling-pandemic
30/ Tonight’s dinner is a feast: oatmeal, milk, radish kimchi, orange, and bulgogi (korean bbq) bento. It’s like a flesh back to #freshmen30
31/ some of you have inquired about vegetarian/vegan meal options - and the answer is not yet. (Korean food is generally not vegan / friendly.) However, I know that Director Um is very carefully looking at expanding meal options. Will share any updates.
32/ Just heard an announcement about a guy who was caught roaming in the hall way. He (and anyone else who comes outside the room) will be deported back to home country. #StayHome 
32/ Second temperature check and self diagnosis app entry: 36.2C 
33/ Sounds like HK is enacting similar measures. Got me thinking about @harari_yuval 's recent article on @FinancialTimes: https://www.ft.com/content/19d90308-6858-11ea-a3c9-1fe6fedcca75
34/ "Humanity needs to make a choice. Will we travel down the route of disunity, or will we adopt the path of global solidarity? If we choose disunity, this will not only prolong the crisis, but will probably result in even worse catastrophes in the future."
- @harari_yuval
- @harari_yuval
35/ Correction to #31 Tweet: Vegetarian and no pork option for Muslims are available here. Apologies, I had misunderstood earlier.
