Park Won-soon: "All Visitors to Screening Clinics Can Be Tested for COVID-19 Even Without Symptoms"

Prevent Infection Cases by Sending Suspected Patients to Hospitals
Form Mobile Teams to Visit and Collect Samples from Vulnerable Groups
Park "Urges Safety for Public Health Center Directors and Staff"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to allow everyone who personally suspects they have symptoms to undergo testing for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). For citizens who find it difficult to visit screening clinics, mobile specimen collection will also be conducted.

On the morning of the 25th at 10 a.m., Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon held a video conference with the heads of health centers from the 25 autonomous districts, stating, "Health centers must suspend their existing medical functions and focus solely on screening clinics. Whether or not they have symptoms, anyone who feels something unusual in their body and visits a screening clinic must be tested."

Until now, the COVID-19 case definition was limited to visitors to Wuhan, visitors to Hubei Province, Chinese nationals, and those with suspected symptoms. Seoul plans to expand the case definition to include all individuals who feel abnormal in their bodies and visit screening clinics.

Mayor Park said, "Our goal is to minimize cases where suspected symptomatic patients go to hospitals and become infected," adding, "It is necessary to secure at least two spaces per health center for medical treatment and specimen collection, so I ask for your active cooperation."

Previously, a 75-year-old Mr. Kim living in Jongno-gu, who was confirmed positive for COVID-19, was unable to receive diagnostic testing because he had no history of overseas travel or contact with confirmed cases. Additionally, Seoul Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital was closed due to concerns about hospital-acquired infection after a staff member tested positive and had contact with patients.

Mayor Park also mentioned forming a mobile team to conduct specimen collection. He said, "It is important to detect cases early to prevent community infection among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and severely disabled. For health-vulnerable citizens who find it difficult to visit screening clinics, we will conduct mobile specimen collection," adding, "The team will visit residences to verify case definitions and collect specimens."

Finally, Mayor Park urged for the safety of health center directors and staff.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.