Proactive Containment of Infection Spread... Ulsan Office of Education Expands Operation of Hub-Type PCR Testing Centers

Ulsan Office of Education.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education is expanding its operation by adding two more hub-type polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing centers.

The expansion of testing centers was promoted to enhance accessibility and convenience of PCR testing for students and staff in response to the spread of the COVID-19 variant Omicron.

Since the 4th, the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education has been conducting mobile PCR testing by visiting schools to provide rapid and convenient diagnostic testing when COVID-19 cases occur within schools.

Since the 16th, a hub-type PCR testing center for staff has also been operating at the outdoor performance hall of the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education.

From the 22nd until the end of this month, the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education will additionally operate two hub-type PCR testing centers at the outdoor Jokgu court of Gangbuk Education Support Office in Buk-gu, Ulsan, and the outdoor large bus parking lot of the Ulsan Education Research and Information Institute in Nam-gu, Ulsan.

The eligible users include all kindergarteners, students, and staff who are contacts identified through internal investigations following confirmed cases in schools or institutions, or those exhibiting suspicious symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat.

Students are generally required to be accompanied by a guardian, but middle and high school students can undergo PCR testing without a guardian if they submit a PCR test and personal information use and provision consent form.

Staff members must bring an identification card such as a government employee ID. The testing centers do not operate on Saturdays and Sundays.

The hub-type PCR testing centers are operated by outsourcing to specialized medical institutions. Test results are notified via text message from the testing institution around 7 a.m. the day after the test.

Up to the 21st, 4,128 students and staff have undergone mobile and hub-type PCR testing.

The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education is also considering adding hub-type PCR testing centers in Dong-gu and Ulju-gun areas.

An official from the Office of Education said, “We are helping to proactively block the spread of infection within schools by supporting rapid antigen test kits and mobile and hub-type PCR testing. The hub-type PCR testing centers will operate until the end of this month, after which we will reconsider extending the period to improve accessibility to testing.”

The government is conducting a third COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents aged 12 to 17 who have completed the basic vaccination more than three months ago, in response to the rapid increase in confirmed cases among youth due to the Omicron variant.

Third doses are strongly recommended for high-risk groups such as immunocompromised individuals or those with underlying conditions, and other adolescents may receive the vaccination if they wish.

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