Starting Tomorrow, Isolation Period for Confirmed Cases Set to 7 Days Regardless of Vaccination Status

Even if additional confirmed cases occur during joint isolation, only the additional confirmed cases undergo 7-day isolation

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] Starting tomorrow, the management criteria for confirmed cases and close contacts will change. The isolation period for confirmed cases will be adjusted to 7 days regardless of vaccination status, and if additional confirmed cases occur during co-isolation, additional isolation for other household members will be eliminated.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced on the 8th that due to the rapid increase in confirmed cases following the dominance of the Omicron variant, the changes to the management criteria for confirmed cases and close contacts, scheduled to be implemented from the 9th, are as follows.

First, the isolation period for confirmed cases will be adjusted to 7 days from the date of specimen collection, regardless of symptoms or vaccination history. "Isolation target contacts" will be limited to "household members who have not completed vaccination" and "close contacts in infection-vulnerable facilities." Other facility close contacts will be subject to self-management.

The isolation of household members of confirmed cases will also be simplified. Previously, isolation notifications were given separately to confirmed cases and their household members, but starting tomorrow, household members will be notified of a 7-day co-isolation period through the confirmed case. Those who have completed vaccination will be exempt from mandatory co-isolation and managed as passive surveillance targets. Completed vaccination refers to those who are between 14 and 90 days after their second dose or have received a third dose. Passive surveillance targets may continue daily life during the monitoring period and should get tested at a nearby or jurisdictional public health center if symptoms such as fever or respiratory issues arise.

When the confirmed case's isolation is lifted, the household members' isolation and passive surveillance will also be lifted. They must then voluntarily follow lifestyle guidelines for 3 days. However, isolation can be lifted earlier if a negative result is confirmed from a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before the end of passive surveillance. There will be no additional isolation for unvaccinated household members after the confirmed case's isolation is lifted.

Additionally, if additional confirmed cases occur during co-isolation, only the newly confirmed cases will be isolated for 7 days without additional isolation for other household members. The changes to the management criteria for confirmed cases and contacts, scheduled to be implemented on the 9th, can also be applied retroactively to existing management targets.

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