"Should I Pay 100,000 Won Each Time to Care for Patients?"... Caregivers Express Discomfort Over 'PCR Test Exemption'

On the morning of the 4th, the temporary screening clinic at the old Duryu Water Purification Plant in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, was crowded with citizens seeking COVID-19 rapid antigen tests.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] As the Omicron variant response system has been activated, complaints are increasing among caregivers of hospitalized patients because PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are no longer available at public health centers or temporary screening clinics.

According to Busan City and frontline district and county offices on the 4th, the government's Omicron variant response system was fully implemented on the 3rd, excluding patient guardians, including those aged 60 and over, from the 'PCR priority testing group.' To care for patients in hospitals, guardians must also test negative for COVID-19 via PCR testing, but to receive a PCR test, they must first test positive on a rapid antigen test.

In this case, it is possible to pay for a PCR test at medical institution screening clinics, but many respond that the test fee, around 100,000 KRW, is burdensome. Additionally, when patients repeatedly get admitted and discharged or when resident guardians become exhausted and need to switch with other family members, it is difficult to pay for tests every time. Furthermore, unlike public health centers, most medical institution screening clinics operate only on weekdays, causing significant inconvenience that must be endured.

In response, netizens on various social networking services (SNS) have expressed comments such as, "My family member is about to have surgery, but the guardian has to worry about the PCR test as well," and "I tried to find out about this issue but did not receive proper guidance." There have also been requests to include guardians of hospitalized patients in the priority testing group if a PCR negative certificate is required for caregivers.

A related national petition has also appeared. On the 4th, a petition titled "Patients are having a very hard time due to the changed PCR testing policy" was posted on the Blue House national petition board. The petitioner, who introduced themselves as a guardian of a pancreatic cancer patient, stated, "Cancer patients require regular hospitalization due to chemotherapy," and "When hospitalized, guardians accompany them and also undergo PCR testing together."

The petitioner lamented, "We are patients fighting an uncertain battle," and "With chemotherapy and the ongoing COVID-19 situation, we have to pay 2.4 million KRW annually for PCR testing." They continued, "We understand that the policy was changed due to the large number of testees causing significant economic and social expenditures," but appealed, "Please do not add economic difficulties to patients and guardians who need hospital care not only for cancer but also for other illnesses."

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