COVID-19 Testing with Saliva, Faster Quarantine Release... Revising Quarantine Measures (Comprehensive)

COVID-19 Central Disease Control Headquarters Changes Testing Methods and Criteria Guidelines
Expands Use of Rapid Antigen Tests and Saliva PCR Tests
"This Wave, the Most Critical Crisis Moment... Strategy Improvement"

On the 7th, at the Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center screening clinic in Seoul, citizens are waiting to undergo diagnostic testing as the daily new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea recorded 615, marking two consecutive days in the 600s. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] A testing method using saliva is being introduced to determine whether someone is infected with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The use of rapid antigen tests, which provide quicker results, will also be expanded. To use hospital beds more efficiently, the criteria for releasing confirmed patients from isolation will be relaxed.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters recently announced on the 7th an improved quarantine strategy reflecting the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. First, rapid antigen tests and saliva-based PCR tests will be utilized in infection-vulnerable facilities within the metropolitan area, where about 70% of new cases have recently occurred. This targets facilities such as psychiatric hospitals and nursing hospitals, where once an infection spreads, large-scale patient outbreaks and fatalities are highly likely.

Rapid antigen tests and saliva testing methods are part of proactive screening to monitor virus introduction rather than to definitively diagnose infection. The rapid antigen test kits have already been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. In facilities considered vulnerable to infection, institutions that wish to participate can have on-site medical personnel collect specimens and conduct tests independently.

On the morning of the 7th, firefighters are transferring COVID-19 confirmed patients in large numbers to an ambulance in front of Yangji Nursing Hospital in Nam-gu, Ulsan City.

The saliva testing method will first be introduced in social welfare facilities in Seoul where medical personnel are not present. Individuals undergoing testing will collect their own saliva samples and send them to private entrusted institutions to receive test results. In response to criticisms that the existing PCR diagnostic method takes time due to difficulties in specimen collection, the quarantine authorities have been verifying since September ways for frontline medical institutions to conveniently conduct tests. Like the current PCR test used to confirm infection, it uses a gene amplification method to determine infection status.

Lee Sang-won, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Team at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, explained at a briefing, "Compared to nasopharyngeal (inside the nose and throat) PCR, we confirmed a sensitivity (the rate of correctly identifying positive specimens) of 92% and a specificity (the rate of correctly identifying negative specimens) of 100%. Since it does not reach 100%, it is somewhat insufficient, so we judge it to be more suitable for screening rather than confirmatory testing."

The quarantine authorities will initially apply these testing methods mainly in the metropolitan area and comprehensively evaluate their practical applicability on-site before deciding on full implementation. Additionally, considering the recent spread of infections mainly among young people in the metropolitan area, they are also reviewing plans to significantly increase nighttime and holiday operations of screening clinics and to operate large-scale drive-through testing centers. This was instructed earlier that morning by President Moon Jae-in during an internal meeting at the Blue House.

On the 7th, at the Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center screening clinic in Seoul, citizens are undergoing diagnostic tests as the daily new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea recorded 615, marking two consecutive days in the 600s. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Military, Police, and Public Officials to Support Epidemiological Investigation Administrative Tasks
Isolation Release Criteria Relaxed... Reduced from 13 Days to 10 Days

Epidemiological investigation personnel will also be reinforced. Since epidemiological investigations require expertise and immediate recruitment is difficult, military personnel, police officers, and trainee public officials will be assigned to administrative support tasks. Although the number of epidemiological investigators has increased compared to the past, recent cluster infections in various places have caused manpower shortages. These personnel have been responsible not only for on-site epidemiological investigations but also for administrative tasks such as inputting various data and information, and the new support staff will assist with these duties.

Na Sung-woong, First Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said, "The workload for quarantine and epidemiological investigation personnel is very heavy and has increased further with the rise in patient numbers. In the short term, support personnel will be deployed to assist epidemiological investigations, and in the long term, we will actively secure epidemiological investigators with sufficient capabilities."

Relaxing the isolation release criteria is expected to enable faster turnover of hospital beds. Frontline medical staff have been concerned that patients with no or mild symptoms occupying beds might prevent timely treatment of severe patients who urgently need care. The quarantine authorities have reflected the latest research results and opinions from domestic and international experts to relax the isolation release criteria, which will be applied immediately from today.

A notice about shortened business hours is posted at a study cafe in Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, one day before the implementation of social distancing level 2.5 on the 7th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Accordingly, for symptomatic patients, previously, symptoms had to be monitored for three days (72 hours) after ten days from onset, but going forward, isolation can be lifted if there are no symptoms such as fever for about one day after ten days from onset. For asymptomatic confirmed cases, the previous requirement was to have two PCR negative results 24 hours apart after waiting one week from confirmation, but now, isolation can be lifted after two negative results 24 hours apart without waiting the full week.

Medical staff can apply whichever criteria?clinical course or testing?is applicable first. However, for critically ill patients, the observation period for clinical symptom improvement has been extended to a minimum of 48 hours. Kwak Jin, head of the Patient Management Team at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said, "Previously, 13 days were required, but now isolation release can be determined after 10 days. This will also apply to residential treatment centers and symptomatic patients hospitalized in hospitals, improving the efficiency of bed management."

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