"Asymptomatic Contacts Are Sufficiently Managed with Self-Quarantine"

Possibility of Asymptomatic Transmission: "All Self-Quarantined Individuals Must Get Tested"
Experts Say "Transmission is Minimal... Instead, Extend Self-Quarantine to 3 Weeks"

Kim Gang-rip, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, confirmed to have been in contact with a confirmed case and entered self-quarantine. Source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] It has been confirmed that Lee Sang-young, director of Bundang Jesaeng Hospital who tested positive for COVID-19, and some of the Ministry of Health and Welfare officials who attended the meeting with him, as well as only some hospital directors in the Seoul metropolitan area, underwent diagnostic testing. While some argue that all should be tested regardless of symptoms due to the possibility of asymptomatic transmission, experts unanimously stated that "self-quarantine alone is sufficient."

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 20th, eight Ministry of Health and Welfare staff members including Vice Minister Kim Kang-rip and about 20 heads of universities and general hospitals in the metropolitan area who attended the same meeting as Director Lee were all classified as close contacts and entered a two-week self-quarantine. Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook of the CDCH explained, "Regardless of whether the confirmed case wore a mask, it was recognized that virus transmission was possible over a sufficient period of time."

However, opinions differed regarding whether to conduct diagnostic tests. Some hospital directors in the metropolitan area voluntarily took tests and received 'negative' results, but the other hospital directors and eight Ministry of Health and Welfare officials including Vice Minister Kim did not get tested as they had no symptoms yet.

According to the CDCH response guidelines, those classified as contacts must self-quarantine and only get tested if symptoms appear. The problem is that about 20% of COVID-19 confirmed cases are asymptomatic. On the 16th, CDCH Director Jung Eun-kyung stated, "20% of domestic confirmed cases remain asymptomatic until discharge." Moreover, since the possibility of asymptomatic transmission has been raised, there are calls to strengthen response guidelines for asymptomatic cases. It is suggested that close contacts should be required to undergo diagnostic testing.

However, experts argue that considering practical aspects such as testing personnel, self-quarantine is sufficient. Professor Kim Woo-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "In a situation where domestic cases are rapidly increasing due to overseas inflow, including contacts under self-quarantine in the testing target is inefficient," adding, "It is sufficient to faithfully observe the two-week self-quarantine period." Professor Kim explained, "The infectivity during asymptomatic periods is significantly lower than when symptoms are present, and since contacts are not moving around, it is better to focus testing capacity on overseas inflow and cluster outbreak confirmed cases." Professor Eom Jung-sik of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Gachon University Gil Medical Center also said, "According to the World Health Organization (WHO), even if asymptomatic transmission is possible, its impact on the overall epidemic is very minimal," and "Currently, testing symptomatic patients is already challenging, so testing asymptomatic individuals would overwhelm quarantine personnel."

There is also an opinion that instead of mandating testing for contacts, the self-quarantine period should be extended. Professor Chun Eun-mi of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "It is correct to conduct tests focusing on necessary subjects such as symptomatic patients, but the self-quarantine period should be extended to three weeks," explaining, "One out of 100 confirmed cases develops symptoms within three weeks."

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