[Issue Q&A] Rapid Antigen Test, Not PCR, for Suspected Symptoms... Medical Expense Support Ends

COVID-19 Resurgence
Changed Response Guidelines Compared to Before

7-Day Isolation for Confirmed Cases Maintained
No Quarantine Obligation for Cohabitants

On the 18th, as the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases exceeded 40,000 for two consecutive days over the past weekend, citizens visiting the screening clinic set up at Mapo-gu Public Health Center in Seoul are waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] As the spread of COVID-19 intensifies again, there have been many changes in quarantine policies compared to the Omicron variant pandemic earlier this year. When COVID-19 suspected symptoms appear, the general public must get tested and prescribed at a nearby hospital and quarantine for 7 days.

- If you have suspected symptoms, do you need to get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at a screening clinic?

▲ Currently, PCR testing is limited. Only priority groups such as seniors aged 60 and over, close contacts, or overseas entrants can receive PCR tests. If you are not a priority, you should find a nearby hospital or clinic that offers professional rapid antigen tests (RAT). The test itself is free, but a consultation fee of about 5,000 to 6,500 KRW is charged. If there are no RAT testing medical institutions nearby due to weekends, etc., you can get a PCR test only if you test positive with a self-test kit and bring the sealed positive kit in a plastic bag to the testing site.

- How long should you quarantine if confirmed positive?

▲ Currently, the quarantine period is 7 days regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. The infectiousness is highest from 2 days before symptom onset to 3 days after onset, and it is known to mostly disappear after 7 days. Since March, cohabitants can go to work or school regardless of vaccination status. However, as there is a risk of additional infection from the confirmed patient, quarantine rules must be followed. It is recommended to maintain isolation as much as possible and disinfect the space every time if unavoidable contact occurs, such as sharing one bathroom with the confirmed patient.

A self-test kit sales notice is posted at a pharmacy in downtown Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

- Do COVID-19 confirmed patients have to pay medical fees and medication costs now?

▲ Since the 11th, home treatment patients confirmed positive are no longer eligible for medical expense support. They must pay co-payments like general medical treatment and prescriptions covered by health insurance. The average medical fee per home treatment patient in the first quarter of this year was 13,000 KRW (clinic basis), and medication costs were 6,000 KRW. If you paid co-payments despite being confirmed before the 11th, you can claim a refund at the public health center. Hospitalization costs, oral antiviral drugs, injections, and other relatively expensive treatments are still fully supported as before.

- I heard the target companies for living support payments and paid leave support have been reduced.

▲ Previously, confirmed patients who did not receive paid leave could receive living support payments regardless of income or asset levels, but now only households with health insurance premiums below 100% of the median income can receive self-quarantine living support payments. This applies to monthly incomes of 2,334,000 KRW for single-person households and 5,121,000 KRW for four-person households or less. The support amount is 100,000 KRW if there is one quarantined person in the household and 150,000 KRW if there are two or more. Paid leave support, which was provided to all small and medium-sized enterprises, has also been limited to workplaces with fewer than 30 employees. The support amount and period are up to 45,000 KRW per day for a maximum of 5 days.

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