Starting Tomorrow, 'Yoyang Hospital' Allows Outings and Overnight Stays... Visits by Groups of 4 or More Also Permitted

Full Allowance of In-Person Visits... Reduction to One Test for New Admissions and Entries
Worker PCR Tests Reduced from Twice to Once a Week

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] From the 20th, face-to-face visits at nursing hospitals and nursing facilities will be allowed regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. The number of visitors, previously limited to four at a time, can be increased depending on the hospital's circumstances, and inpatients or residents who have completed the fourth dose of the vaccine will also be allowed overnight stays.

The government and quarantine authorities announced on the 17th at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting that they would revise quarantine measures for infection-vulnerable facilities such as nursing hospitals and facilities, psychiatric hospitals and facilities, and implement these changes starting from the 20th.

Infection-vulnerable facilities have strengthened quarantine measures and worked to manage infections and protect high-risk groups, considering that mainly high-risk groups such as those aged 60 and over are hospitalized or admitted, and that these facilities are prone to cluster infections when confirmed cases occur.

However, as the Omicron variant's spread has entered a declining phase, key indicators such as confirmed cases, cluster infections, and elderly deaths within infection-vulnerable facilities have stabilized, and staff fatigue has increased, leading quarantine authorities to decide to ease the measures. Confirmed cases in nursing hospitals and facilities peaked at 1,111 cases and 68,455 people in March but dropped to 61 cases and 1,433 people in May. Confirmed cases in psychiatric hospitals and facilities also decreased from 19,997 to 1,393 during the same period. The fatality rate for those aged 60 and over fell from 3.03% in January this year to 0.38% in April.

Accordingly, while face-to-face visits were previously allowed only for vaccinated individuals or those with a history of infection, from the 20th, visits will be allowed for anyone without separate restrictions. The number of visitors, previously limited to four, will now be decided based on the institution's situation. However, to ensure safe visits, quarantine rules such as advance reservation systems, pre-visit testing, mask-wearing, prohibition of food consumption, and ventilation before and after visits will continue to be enforced.

The scope of allowing outings and overnight stays for inpatients and residents, which was previously permitted only for essential outpatient care, will also be expanded. Those who have received the fourth vaccine dose or have a history of infection after two or more doses will be allowed outings and overnight stays even if not for outpatient care reasons. However, upon return from outings or overnight stays, they must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or rapid antigen test.

The measure requiring two PCR tests on the first and third days and a four-day quarantine upon new admission to facilities will be simplified. From now on, only one test will be conducted upon admission, and if negative, immediate admission is allowed.

Routine testing for facility workers, which previously required twice-weekly PCR or rapid antigen tests, will be reduced to once-weekly PCR testing. Workers who have received the fourth dose or have a history of infection after two or more doses will be exempt from routine testing.

The government stated that while easing quarantine measures, it will continue to strengthen protective measures such as operating a fast track for high-risk groups and mobile task forces for nursing facilities. The Central Accident Response Headquarters said, "We hope that these measures will allow inpatients and residents in infection-vulnerable facilities to safely and healthily restore their daily lives," and urged, "Each facility should prepare thoroughly, and visitors must comply with quarantine rules."

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