Parents say, "How can they poke kids' noses every day... Please allow the use of 'Taeyak Kit'"

"Overseas Direct Purchase Products Also Showing Out of Stock"
"Please Consider from the Perspective of Parents with Children" Urged

Busan kindergarten students are receiving rapid antigen test kits (self-diagnosis kits) from their teacher. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] As the new semester approaches next month, parents are increasingly voicing demands to allow the use of saliva-based COVID-19 self-test kits.

Previously, the Ministry of Education recommended that kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school students undergo specimen testing twice a week using rapid antigen test kits before attending school.

However, some parents have expressed concerns that the antigen test kits, which require deep nasal swabbing with a cotton swab, are too painful for children.

Recently, multiple petitions titled "Please approve the use of saliva self-diagnostic kits" have been posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. Parent A, who posted a petition, claimed, "While purchasing and using saliva self-diagnostic kits from overseas, I found that related products are now all out of stock. It seems that imports have been halted and sales stopped."

They continued, "Children dislike having their noses poked every day and want to test comfortably using saliva," urging, "If domestic approval will not be granted considering parents with young children, shouldn't direct imports at least be allowed? Or can't products used overseas be permitted for domestic use?"

They also expressed concern, saying, "If COVID-19 is managed like the flu, contact tracing will not be possible. I worry not for myself but that my child might have contracted COVID-19."

Yoo Eun-hye, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, announced additional support measures for school quarantine in response to Omicron for the new semester on the morning of the 16th at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City. / Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, on the 16th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye announced the "Additional Support Measures for School Quarantine in the New Semester in Response to Omicron," deciding to provide rapid antigen test kits free of charge to students and staff.

The Ministry of Education plans to provide two kits per person starting from the fourth week of February for kindergartens and elementary schools. From next month, nine kits per student and four kits per staff member will be supplied.

Students will perform self-diagnosis twice a week using rapid antigen tests and enter the results into a self-diagnosis application (app). If the test result is positive, they will undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

Regarding this, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo stated, "Rapid antigen test kits will be operated as a voluntary quarantine system and will not be mandatory," and urged, "Starting from the second week of March, please conduct proactive testing twice a week at home."

She added, "We have protected schools from COVID-19 risks, but the upcoming new semester faces a completely different situation," emphasizing, "Please actively participate in school quarantine measures to keep our children safe."

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