"Due to Surge in Confirmed Cases"... Reducing PCR Tests for Overseas Entrants, Nursing Hospitals, and Military
Overseas Arrivals: PCR on Day 1 and Rapid Antigen Test on Day 7
Long-term Care Hospital 4th Dose Completers Exempt from PCR 2 Weeks After Vaccination
Soldiers Only Need One PCR Before Enlistment
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] As the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to exceed 200,000 daily, reaching the limits of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing capacity, health authorities have decided to adjust the frequency of PCR tests for overseas arrivals, nursing hospitals, and the military.
On the 8th, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that the revised COVID-19 diagnostic testing system guidelines will be implemented in the field starting from the 10th. Kim Gap-jeong, head of the diagnostic testing team at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said, "As the demand for PCR tests has been continuously increasing recently, it is necessary to use testing capacity efficiently. While maintaining the testing priority, we will adjust the frequency or detailed methods for some test subjects and apply these changes from the 10th."
Accordingly, overseas arrivals will only need to take a PCR test on the first day of entry and a rapid antigen test on the seventh day. Until now, PCR tests were required on both the first day and the sixth to seventh days. This measure considers that most imported cases test positive early after entry.
In infection-vulnerable facilities such as nursing hospitals and nursing homes, where the fourth dose of vaccination is underway, those who have completed the fourth dose will be exempt from PCR testing starting two weeks after the fourth dose. The current testing system, which includes two PCR tests and two rapid antigen tests per week, will be maintained, but PCR testing will be exempted for those who have completed the fourth dose. The twice-weekly rapid antigen tests will remain unchanged.
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Testing for military personnel will also see adjustments in timing and frequency. Currently, PCR tests are conducted on the first and eighth days after enlistment, but this will be replaced by a single PCR test before enlistment. This is to preemptively block infection sources as infections continue to spread within the military due to confirmed cases enlisting.
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