"Is a Queue Bent 4 Times for Real?"... Netizens Flustered by COVID Testing Chaos

On the afternoon of the 7th, when 1,212 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, citizens visiting the screening clinic installed at Gangnam-gu Public Health Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, stood in a long line to get tested amid the heat.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim So-young] As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise daily and the 4th wave intensifies, the number of citizens visiting screening clinics out of anxiety over the surge in confirmed cases has significantly increased. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 8th, as of midnight that day, the number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases was recorded at 1,275.

In particular, with the fierce spread in the metropolitan area prompting discussions about raising social distancing to level 4, screening clinics located throughout the metropolitan area are crowded all day long. On the 7th alone, a record-high 76,223 diagnostic tests were conducted in Seoul, and the daily number of COVID-19 tests has been steadily increasing from 49,165 on the 5th to 50,770 on the 6th.

Recently, photos showing long lines of people waiting at screening clinics to get tested for COVID-19 have been shared on online communities. Netizens who witnessed the testing sites through the photos expressed surprise, saying, "I didn’t really feel the chaos of COVID-19 in Seoul until I saw the photos," and "Was it really that bad?"

With the number of tests sharply increasing, testing kits ran short in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, causing testing to be temporarily suspended on the 7th. One netizen wrote, "Since Samsung Station is my workplace, I lined up at a nearby temporary clinic from 9:30 a.m. but was turned away at 11:20 a.m.," adding, "I was told I couldn’t get tested today, so I hurriedly switched to working from home and headed to a clinic near my house. What is going on?"

Others shared on-site situations such as, "I got tested at the Gwangjin-gu Office Health Center, and there were over 200 people waiting even then," "By rough estimation, the line was about 200 meters long and bent four times," and "The wait at the OO testing site is extremely long. Please go somewhere else."

On the afternoon of the 13th of last month, which showed early summer weather, an official wearing protective clothing applied hand sanitizer to gloves and cooled down the heat with a fan at a temporary screening clinic in Seoul. The official stated, "It is very difficult to endure the temperature inside the tent screening clinic with just a fan in the heat."
[Photo by Yonhap News]

With the number of testers more than doubling the usual and extended operating hours, the burden on the staff at the clinics is considerable. Moreover, entering July with hot and humid weather has made it a battle against the heat, prompting messages of support for these workers. One netizen shared, "My wife took the kids to get tested yesterday, and she said the staff had a really tough time wearing all their protective gear in such hot and humid weather."

In addition, netizens expressed their support with comments like, "We feel sorry and thankful to the testing sites and related personnel. Please stay strong," "We respect and thank you," and "I hope they get more staff. Please hang in there a little longer."

Some netizens also voiced concerns, saying, "I visited a screening clinic yesterday. Seeing it up close made me realize how hard the work is, especially with people not following instructions and acting on their own," and "During lunch yesterday, I was turned away in front of me, but people behind me were making a fuss asking to be tested first. The testers need to get enough rest."

On the morning of the 7th, when the number of new COVID-19 cases exceeded 1,200, the area in front of the Gangnam Health Center screening clinic in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was crowded with lined-up vehicles and citizens. [Image source=Yonhap News]

However, the situation is also tough for those waiting in long lines for hours under the unshaded heat. Netizens encouraged, "Still, everyone is worried about themselves and going through the trouble to get tested. It’s ultimately for everyone’s sake," "Getting tested is a task itself; everyone is working hard," "In this heat, we need to find a way to make testing easier," and "Let’s endure a little more and get back to normal soon."

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to expand the operation of temporary screening clinics. Song Eun-cheol, head of the Infectious Disease Management Division at the Seoul Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, stated during an online COVID-19 briefing on the morning of the 8th, "Starting with the opening of the temporary screening clinic at Seoul Plaza in Jung-gu tomorrow, we will open 25 additional temporary screening clinics by next Monday (the 12th)."

Currently, Seoul operates 26 temporary screening clinics separately from the 25 district screening clinics, and once the additional clinics open, the total will increase to 51.

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