Closing Screening Clinics and Residential Treatment Centers... Confirmed Patients, "Where Do We Go?"

Only One Life Treatment Center Designated by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Remains, All Others Closed
Temporary Screening Clinics Reduced from 202 to Integrated Public Health Center Screening Clinics
Concerns Over Blind Spots for Vulnerable Groups and Patient Concentration Amid Government's Quarantine System Transition

On the 31st, the temporary screening clinic at Seoul Station Plaza is quiet. Due to the decrease in COVID-19 confirmed cases, the quarantine authorities will suspend the operation of COVID-19 residential treatment centers and temporary screening clinics starting June 1. Temporary screening clinics will be integrated and operated with public health center screening clinics. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

As the number of new COVID-19 cases drops to around 10,000 to 20,000 per day, the operation of nationwide community treatment centers and temporary screening clinics will be suspended. This measure follows the transition to home treatment for confirmed cases and the general medical system. Some concerns have been raised that vulnerable groups such as elderly living alone and homeless patients may fall into blind spots in management.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 31st, the community treatment centers designated by local governments nationwide, which were responsible for isolating and treating asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients, will cease operations today. Only one community treatment center designated by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for foreigners entering from overseas will remain open, while all others will close.

The government has gradually reduced the operation of community treatment centers since the home treatment system for confirmed cases, introduced after the Omicron surge, has been established, and recently confirmed patients have been able to receive face-to-face treatment at local clinics and hospitals. As the number of confirmed cases has significantly decreased, the nationwide utilization rate of community treatment centers has fallen to 3.6% (75 beds in use out of 2,069 available beds).

Temporary screening clinics nationwide will also operate only until today. At one point, 202 temporary screening clinics were in operation, but this number has gradually decreased due to the drop in confirmed cases, leaving only 78 clinics currently. Even these will be integrated with public health center screening clinics starting June 1.

As the government moves toward ending COVID-19 support, ordinary citizens, especially those who contracted COVID-19 late, have expressed anxiety.

Yoon (42), who works at a company in Samseong-dong, Seoul, said, "I was infected with COVID-19, but it was very difficult to find a nearby temporary screening clinic. In the end, I waited over 30 minutes at a hospital before getting tested." Shim (in his 60s), who tested positive two days ago, said, "I feel even more anxious as the community treatment centers are closing. Although local governments said they would prepare supplementary measures, I worry that the response is delayed and I might not receive proper support."

There are also concerns that hospitals will be overwhelmed due to changes in the quarantine system. Kim (37), working at an otolaryngology clinic in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, said, "Recently, inquiries about PCR tests for overseas travel and rapid antigen tests have increased. It is likely that people will flock to hospitals where test results come out relatively quickly."

The quarantine authorities plan to respond appropriately by local governments according to patient situations, including emergency care services for housing-vulnerable individuals, operation of isolation rooms in separate facilities, and bed allocation. Additionally, starting next month, a ‘fast track’ system will be launched to enable high-risk groups such as those aged 60 and over, immunocompromised individuals, and residents of infection-vulnerable facilities to receive testing, treatment, and oral antiviral prescriptions within one day.

At the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held today, the government decided to continuously expand the 6,446 outpatient treatment centers where COVID-19 patients can receive face-to-face care during isolation. Furthermore, starting June 6, the monitoring frequency for the intensive management group among home-treated patients will be adjusted from the current twice to once.

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