Incheon City to Resume Operation of 3 Temporary Screening Centers Next Month... PCR Testing Only Available

The temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza is crowded with citizens. 2022.7.25 / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City will reinstall and operate temporary screening clinics at three locations with high foot traffic starting from the 1st of next month due to the increase in COVID-19 confirmed cases.

The clinics will be located at the plaza in front of Incheon City Hall, in front of Songdo Michuhol Tower, and Bupyeong Station. Operating hours are from 12 PM to 8 PM on weekdays, and from 1 PM to 6 PM on weekends and public holidays.

Only PCR tests are available at the temporary screening clinics. Eligible individuals for testing include seniors aged 60 and above, those with suspected COVID-19 symptoms (doctor's opinion), persons epidemiologically linked (close contacts, those tested before quarantine release, overseas entrants), preemptive testing for vulnerable facilities (high-risk facility workers, etc.), and those who tested positive on rapid antigen or emergency screening tests.

To get tested, individuals must bring necessary documentation such as a doctor's note, quarantine notice, or proof of employment at a high-risk facility.

In addition to the three temporary screening clinics, 32 screening clinics currently in operation (11 public health centers and 21 medical institutions) continue to offer PCR testing.

General citizens who are not eligible for PCR testing can receive professional rapid antigen tests (RAT) at 704 respiratory patient care centers, including 284 one-stop medical institutions.

Previously, to facilitate COVID-19 testing for citizens, the city operated up to 17 temporary screening clinics year-round starting from December 2020, but all operations were suspended on the 1st of last month due to a decrease in confirmed cases.

An Incheon City official stated, "As the number of confirmed cases in the region has surged to 3,000 to 4,000 per day, we have decided to resume operating temporary screening clinics to facilitate PCR testing," adding, "If the number of confirmed cases continues to rise, we plan to operate additional temporary screening clinics."

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