"Finding Hidden COVID-19 Cases" ... 'Mobile Screening Clinics' Operated at Delivery Companies and Call Centers

Seoul City Begins Preemptive Testing at 5 Locations Including Songpa Seoul Complex Logistics Center with 8,000 Delivery Workers
Up to 1,000 Tests Per Day Possible... Also Targets Workers at Religious Facilities and Daycare Centers

The 'Mobile Screening Clinic' operating within the Seoul Integrated Logistics Center in Jangji-dong, Songpa-gu, which started operations on the 23rd.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On the 24th, Seoul City announced that it will officially operate a 'mobile visiting screening clinic' to ensure that proactive testing for industries with a high risk of COVID-19 infection, such as delivery workers and call center employees, is conducted thoroughly without any blind spots.

As an extraordinary measure to curb the spread of COVID-19, since the 16th, the city has been promoting proactive testing targeting groups where even a single infection can have a large ripple effect, such as logistics, call centers, nursing facilities and hospitals, religious facilities, as well as essential workers in public transportation and emergency care.

In particular, for some facilities and organizations where proactive testing is essential but difficult due to shift work or mobility restrictions, the city decided to operate a 'mobile visiting screening clinic' capable of testing up to 1,000 people per day.

The first mobile visiting screening clinic began operation on the 23rd at the Seoul Complex Logistics Center located in Jangji-dong, Songpa-gu, where about 8,000 logistics workers, including delivery workers, work densely. With the increase in citizens' non-face-to-face online activities and the surge in distribution demand due to Christmas and year-end, if a confirmed case occurs among logistics center workers, it could cause a serious distribution crisis. Therefore, the plan is to actively support proactive testing to detect confirmed cases early and prevent distribution chaos.

On the same day, mobile visiting screening clinics were also set up at Eunpyeong Rehabilitation Center in Gusan-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, and in front of the 120 Dasan Call Center in Sinseol-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, where tests were completed for about 500 residents and workers.

On the 24th, mobile visiting screening clinics will be opened at Marronnier Park in Dongsung-dong, Jongno-gu, and at the Seoul Metro Line 9 garage in Gaehwa-dong, Gangseo-gu. At Marronnier Park, under the cooperation of the Seoul Disabled Independent Living Center Council, tests will be conducted for disabled individuals with mobility difficulties, and at the Seoul Metro Line 9 garage, voluntary proactive testing participation of public transportation workers will be supported.

The city plans to continue operating mobile visiting screening clinics targeting nursing facilities, religious facilities, city bus, and daycare center workers who have difficulty getting tested.

On the 24th, Acting Mayor of Seoul, Seo Jeong-hyeop, visited the screening clinic site at the Seoul Complex Logistics Center in Jangji-dong to check the operation status and held a meeting with representatives of nearby transportation and logistics companies such as Coupang, Market Kurly, Lotte Delivery, taxi, and bus companies. He requested cooperation from companies to encourage proactive testing participation among logistics workers and discussed measures to strengthen COVID-19 prevention.

Acting Mayor Seo said, "Industries such as logistics, call centers, and nursing facilities, which have characteristics of difficult mobility or require large numbers of people to move simultaneously, are vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and have had many difficulties in receiving proactive testing. We will do our best to actively increase testing by operating mobile visiting screening clinics to find hidden confirmed cases."

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