"Free Testing Available Even Without Symptoms"...Gwangjin-gu Encourages All Residents to Participate in Free COVID-19 Testing

Testing for COVID-19 Extended to Frontline Workers Including Specimen Collection and Quarantine Staff

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Kim Seon-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin District, on the 11th, announced to local residents to participate in proactive testing following the elevation of social distancing to level 2.5 due to the third wave of COVID-19 and the implementation of free testing for all citizens. He also instructed all employees, prioritizing those at the forefront of quarantine efforts, to undergo testing within the scope that does not disrupt public service operations.

This nationwide free testing was arranged to detect asymptomatic and latent infections early in the community and block sources of infection, as the number of confirmed cases exceeding 600 daily and the proportion of cases with unknown infection routes have increased.

Mayor Kim judged that if an employee at the frontline of the COVID-19 quarantine system tests positive, the district office and public facilities could be temporarily closed, causing a gap in public administrative services. Therefore, residents were prioritized for testing, and all employees were to be tested promptly by December.

Furthermore, employee testing will prioritize those working on the front lines related to COVID-19, such as specimen collection, epidemiological investigation, and quarantine. Employees responsible for self-quarantine management, distribution of supplies, and transportation of overseas arrivals will be tested secondarily.

Along with this, Mayor Kim Seon-gap held a video conference with district executives and neighborhood chiefs, urging them to actively promote testing through community leaders to ensure all residents can be tested quickly.

Additionally, Mayor Kim plans to set an example by personally undergoing COVID-19 testing to encourage full participation from all residents.

Kim Seon-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin District, said, “As the number of cases with unknown infection routes and asymptomatic patients increases recently, we have reached a situation where we do not know when or where COVID-19 was contracted.” He added, “Including myself, all employees are maintaining a thorough quarantine system and following preventive measures for the safety of residents, but to prepare for any situation, we decided to undergo proactive testing.”

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