Seoul Schools Begin 'Visiting COVID Testing'... Expansion of Multi-Testing System

Notification of test results the morning after inspection
Targeting schools within a 1km radius of confirmed cases
Including circulating teachers beyond students and staff
Ulsan and Incheon also considering preemptive testing implementation

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye visited Jinsan Science High School in Incheon on the 2nd to inspect the quarantine measures at the school dormitory, touring the school and dormitory facilities.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] 'Mobile specimen collection team proactive testing' will begin in elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul. COVID-19 tests will be conducted by visiting nearby schools where confirmed cases have occurred or schools that wish to participate. Students and staff can receive the test and confirm their COVID-19 status via text message the following day.

On the 3rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that proactive testing by the mobile specimen collection team will start at Seoul Sports Middle and High Schools. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye and Superintendent of Education Cho Hee-yeon also visited the site that day to check the progress. Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "In epidemic areas, I once again urge everyone to actively participate when the mobile specimen collection team circulates, even if asymptomatic."

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will conduct tests for students and staff at schools within a 1 km radius of a school where a confirmed case has occurred, as well as at schools that require or wish to have proactive testing. Besides regular teachers, after-school instructors, sports instructors, and cooperative instructors can also be tested. After a two-week pilot project, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will tour schools across Seoul to conduct tests until December. Teams will be formed for each of the 11 education support offices in Seoul to visit schools and carry out testing.

Once a mobile specimen collection booth staffed by a team of three, including nurses and clinical pathologists, is set up, specimens will be collected there and transported to health centers. Test results will be notified to the education office. The education office will inform testees of their results between 8 and 9 a.m. the next day.

Following Seoul, cities such as Incheon and Ulsan are also considering introducing mobile specimen proactive testing. The Ministry of Education and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education are expanding proactive testing to quickly identify asymptomatic infections and prevent further spread. The goal is to increase testing accessibility in May, when there are many events and gatherings such as Children's Day, Parents' Day, and Teachers' Day, to break the chain of cluster infections.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye said on the 2nd, "We are monitoring the pilot operation in Seoul and understand that Incheon is preparing to introduce it as well. As school quarantine and quarantine in various institutions are strengthened, we are discussing ways to accelerate vaccination among staff, and we will support the pilot operation of the mobile specimen collection team to quickly detect asymptomatic infections or cases with unclear infection routes."

In the education sector, various testing methods are being introduced to complement the centralized COVID-19 testing system by health authorities. On the 26th of last month, Seoul National University introduced rapid molecular diagnostic testing in the College of Natural Sciences, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education also began proactive testing on the 3rd. Additionally, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education is considering introducing self-diagnostic kits for schools with more than 100 students in dormitories or operating sports teams, as proposed by Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

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