Omicron Peak but More Relaxed Self-Quarantine... "Managing Confirmed Cases is Priority"

700,000 Home Treatment Patients... Unvaccinated Cohabitants Also Shifted to Passive Monitoring
Cohabitant Family Infection Rate at High 30% to 40% Level... "Concerns Over Hidden Infection Spread"

On the 25th, medical staff are guiding citizens at the temporary COVID-19 screening clinic in front of Seoul City Hall. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, as of midnight on the same day, 165,890 new confirmed cases were reported, bringing the total to 2,665,077. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Starting next month, household members living with COVID-19 confirmed cases will be able to decide on their own whether to quarantine, regardless of their vaccination status. The previously mandatory two rounds of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have also been adjusted to a single recommended test. This change has raised concerns that health authorities are effectively stepping back from managing close contacts amid the surge in cases caused by the Omicron variant.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on the 26th, from the 1st of next month, household members of COVID-19 confirmed cases will no longer be required to quarantine regardless of their vaccination status. Currently, only vaccinated household members are subject to passive monitoring, while unvaccinated members must quarantine for seven days. PCR tests are conducted twice: immediately after the household member is confirmed positive and again on days 6 to 7 before quarantine release.

However, starting from the 1st of next month, the quarantine obligation for unvaccinated individuals will be lifted, and they will be subject to passive monitoring for 10 days. Testing is recommended with a PCR test within three days and a rapid antigen test on the 7th day.

The government initially mandated quarantine for all close contacts, but since the dominance of Omicron, from the 9th of this month, quarantine requirements have been limited to unvaccinated household members and close contacts within vulnerable facilities (long-term care institutions, mental health facilities, and facilities for the disabled). From next month, unvaccinated household members will also be excluded from quarantine requirements, effectively allowing people not related to vulnerable facilities to continue their daily lives without quarantine even after close contact with confirmed cases. This decision was made because significant administrative resources were being devoted to managing household members, causing delays in notifying confirmed cases, assigning home treatment, and delivering test kits, which increased the burden on confirmed patients.

Lee Ki-il, the first controller of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, explained at a briefing the previous day, "With about 170,000 confirmed cases this week, the workload at public health centers increased, making same-day processing of confirmed cases very difficult. The most challenging issue on the front lines was the quarantine of household members. Currently, we believe it is most important to promptly notify confirmed cases and properly assign home treatment and hospital beds, which led to this decision."

Park Young-jun, an epidemiological investigation team leader at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said, "We recommend one PCR test within three days and one rapid antigen test on the 7th day. Although these are not mandatory, we ask for voluntary compliance."

However, concerns have been raised that if potentially infected contacts are not properly managed amid the expected continued increase in cases until mid-next month, the outbreak could worsen further. Due to a shortage of personnel, the government has already significantly reduced epidemiological investigations such as contact tracing. As of midnight on the 26th, the number of home-treated patients reached 703,694, an increase of more than 53,000 from the previous day (650,181), surpassing 700,000.

In particular, as hidden infections increase, the spread of the outbreak accelerates and the peak size is likely to be larger than expected. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters estimates the household infection rate to be in the high 30% to low 40% range, and easing management of household members could lead to an increase in hidden infections.

Park said, "Shifting the focus to managing confirmed cases may pose some risk of additional community transmission, but this is unavoidable. Instead, we will strive to reduce hidden infections by providing accurate and timely guidance on recommendations, precautions, and behavioral rules."

However, among household members, students and school staff will have the new policy applied from the 14th of next month, considering the start of school and adjustment periods. Rapid antigen tests will be recognized not only when administered by medical personnel but also when self-administered using self-test kits. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters will also change notifications for hospitalized and quarantined individuals to text messages and social networking services (SNS), issuing quarantine notices in writing only upon request.

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