Omicron-Dominant Areas Expand Rapid Antigen Testing... "High-Risk Groups Can Get PCR Immediately"

Medical staff are conducting rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 at a temporary screening clinic set up in Seoul Plaza, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] As the Omicron COVID-19 variant becomes the dominant strain and the spread intensifies, demand for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is expected to surge. To preserve testing capacity, the government plans to limit the scope of PCR testing and introduce a large number of rapid antigen tests, which are faster but somewhat less accurate.

On the afternoon of the 25th, Ko Jae-young, spokesperson for the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), explained at the COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) back briefing regarding the accuracy concerns of rapid antigen tests: "According to explanations from relevant ministries, due to the principle of rapid antigen tests, their accuracy is lower than PCR tests, which can result in false positives or false negatives." However, he added, "To prevent unnecessary isolation, PCR tests will be conducted additionally in positive cases, and to avoid treatment delays from false negatives, immunocompromised individuals, high-risk groups, and the elderly will be tested with PCR immediately."

Starting from the 26th, the CDSCH will limit PCR testing to four regions with a high Omicron prevalence?Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Pyeongtaek and Anseong cities in Gyeonggi Province?and issue negative test certificates for facilities requiring the vaccine pass based on either rapid antigen test results or negative results from self-test kits at screening clinics.

On the 25th, when the highest ever number of 8,571 new COVID-19 cases was recorded, citizens lined up to get tested at a screening clinic set up at the Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Rapid antigen tests can be taken at screening clinics, temporary screening centers, and respiratory-specialized clinics within these regions. Screening clinics and temporary screening centers can issue negative confirmation certificates for rapid antigen tests, while clinics can provide medical opinions recognized for the vaccine pass, including the medical institution name and doctor's license.

These paper-issued negative confirmation certificates are valid only until midnight 24 hours after the time of testing. They are not issued via text message or electronic certificates.

The CDSCH stated, "Negative confirmation certificates from rapid antigen tests can be used at vaccine pass facilities nationwide," and requested cooperation from facility managers outside the pilot regions to allow unvaccinated individuals to use facilities with negative rapid antigen test certificates.

The nationwide expansion of these Omicron response phase transition measures is expected to be possible at the earliest by early next month. Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained in a morning interview on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that "nationwide transition is being discussed for a time after the Lunar New Year holiday."

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