"Government to Revise Quarantine System for Omicron, Expanding Antigen Testing and Reviewing Clinic Consultations"

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] As the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 is likely to spread domestically, the government has decided to reorganize the quarantine system in preparation for a rapid increase in new confirmed cases. Since the spread of the Omicron variant is faster than the existing non-variant and Delta variant, the plan is to expand antigen testing at medical institutions to identify confirmed cases more quickly, and also to consider allowing clinic-level medical institutions to treat COVID-19 patients.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Considering Expansion of Antigen Testing to Prepare for Surge in Testing Targets

On the 3rd, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH), the quarantine authorities are discussing changes to the quarantine system in preparation for the spread of Omicron.

Lee Sang-won, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Team at CDCH, said in an online briefing that "The Omicron variant is spreading worldwide and will soon become dominant in our country as well," adding, "Changes to the quarantine system are inevitable due to the characteristics of the Omicron variant. We are currently preparing for this."

According to the authorities, the transmission speed of the Omicron variant is about 2 to 3 times that of the Delta variant, but the severity and fatality rates are reported to drop to about 30 to 50%. This means that while a large number of confirmed cases will occur, the proportion of mild or asymptomatic patients will increase compared to now.

In response, the authorities are reviewing whether antigen testing can be used more efficiently to diagnose cases amid a significant increase in testing targets. Lee said, "The use of antigen testing may be expanded somewhat," and added, "Those who test positive on antigen tests will undergo PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing or other methods to confirm the disease."

While PCR tests take several hours to yield results, antigen tests are relatively simple and can provide results within an hour. Therefore, if the number of tests increases to a level far beyond the current scale, antigen testing could serve as an auxiliary method for identifying confirmed cases, according to the authorities.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, since the accuracy of antigen tests varies greatly depending on the specimen collection method, it is highly likely that tests will be conducted at medical institutions rather than individuals purchasing kits at pharmacies or supermarkets and testing themselves.

Regarding the expansion of antigen testing, Lee said, "We will move toward diversifying testing methods. We are also exploring ways to conduct tests within the medical system," adding, "We need to first confirm insurance coverage and institutional aspects, so we are consulting with insurance authorities."

Will Local Clinics Also Treat COVID-19 Patients? Authorities "Under Review"

The authorities are also considering allowing clinic-level medical institutions to participate in treating COVID-19 patients in preparation for a large-scale outbreak.

In particular, since the fatality rate of the Omicron variant is known not to be higher than that of the Delta variant, the plan is to first verify whether clinic-level medical institutions can safely provide treatment. If the authorities determine that clinics can treat COVID-19 patients, they will provide guidance on testing methods and other procedures.

However, Lee expressed a cautious stance, saying, "This is currently under review and the details have not yet been finalized."

Regarding the overall direction of the quarantine system reform, Lee explained, "This is not a direction of 'relaxation.' The first priority in diagnosis and epidemiological investigation will be to identify contacts who have the potential to develop severe illness."

He added, "In the UK, the cumulative number of confirmed cases is close to 20% of the population, and there may be 2 to 3 times more potential infections. Although many people have gained immunity, 140,000 deaths have occurred in the meantime," and said, "We cannot benchmark ourselves, where about 1.2% of the population is infected, against such foreign cases. We believe the correct approach is to overcome this through vaccination and early management and treatment."

The authorities also plan to continue home treatment for infected individuals even if the Omicron variant becomes dominant. The cumulative number of COVID-19 home treatment cases in Korea is 159,471. On the previous day, there were 2,033 new home treatment cases, about 70% of which occurred in the metropolitan area. It is expected that the response personnel and resources will be significantly increased in response to the spread of Omicron.

Park Hyang, head of the Quarantine General Division at CDSCH, said in this regard, "We believe that home treatment is the most important area to reinforce and stabilize in response to Omicron," adding, "As the number of asymptomatic and mild patients increases, the absolute number of home treatment cases will rise, so we are considering management plans on how to operate the system stably."

Although the severity and fatality rates of the Omicron variant are currently reported to be lower than those of the Delta variant, the authorities are analyzing the exact risk. Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at CDSCH, said, "We are in a situation where we are tense that the Omicron variant could be more dangerous than the Delta variant," and explained, "The damage from COVID-19 is evaluated by multiplying the infection scale by the severity and fatality rates. Even if the severity rate is halved, if the infection scale doubles, the actual damage remains the same."

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