Seoul Students and Staff to Undergo PCR Testing Even Without Symptoms

Ministry of Education Announces Strengthened COVID-19 Prevention Measures for Schools and Academies
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to Conduct Mobile PCR Screening in Early May
Ban on Eating and Drinking in Enclosed School Spaces, Enhanced Equipment Disinfection
Increased Monitoring of External Instructors' Symptoms and Operation of Academy Prevention Inspection Teams

On the 2nd, when kindergarteners, 1st-2nd graders, and high school seniors nationwide began attending school, students were arriving at Geumyang Elementary School in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Starting early next month, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) proactive testing will be piloted for elementary, middle, and high school students and staff in Seoul. Eating outside designated areas will be prohibited at schools, monitoring of infections among external instructors will be expanded, and focused quarantine inspections of private academies will also be promoted.

On the 21st, the Ministry of Education announced strengthened COVID-19 quarantine response measures for schools and private academies nationwide.

Students and staff who are not subject to testing, regardless of symptoms or contact with confirmed cases, will also be able to receive PCR tests. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education decided to pilot mobile specimen testing starting in the Seoul area to detect asymptomatic infections and infections of unknown origin early and prevent transmission.

Separate from the quarantine authorities’ testing, a dedicated team composed of qualified personnel such as nurses and clinical pathologists will conduct PCR diagnostic tests for those who wish to participate. Specimens will be collected while visiting schools and transported to entrusted institutions to receive results.

The Ministry of Education explained, "Expansion to other regions will be determined based on the results of the pilot project," and added, "We will prepare an implementation system and manual in consultation with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and provide guidance to education offices and local quarantine authorities."

From today until May 11, a three-week intensive quarantine period will be operated in kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools, universities, and private academies. Eating outside designated areas will be prohibited, and operation of school stores and group use should be refrained from. Mask-wearing, maintaining personal distance, ventilation, and disinfection of educational equipment such as desks and doors will be strengthened.

Symptomatic individuals will be immediately excluded from work and undergo rapid diagnostic testing. Monitoring of suspected symptoms among external instructors will be expanded, and any unusual findings must be shared immediately. Students and staff are advised to refrain from private gatherings, club activities, and visiting multi-use facilities.

Focused quarantine inspections of private academies will also be promoted. On-site inspection teams and quarantine inspection groups will be formed to check compliance with quarantine rules at academies, and academy organizations’ self-formed "Academy Autonomous Quarantine Teams" will also operate. The use of self-diagnosis apps will be encouraged to manage quarantine for symptomatic academy instructors and others.

Provincial and metropolitan education offices must conduct on-site inspections when infections among students or staff occur, while also preparing cause analyses and recurrence prevention measures. In cases of cluster infections, quarantine authorities will conduct in-depth epidemiological investigations to identify problems, share cases with schools and academies, and work on improving vulnerabilities. Depending on the patient occurrence situation by region, proactive testing will also be promoted for school dormitory residents and private academy or tutoring center workers.

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