[Expert Panel of 3 Urgent Recommendations] "Urgent Expansion of Entry Ban Needed... Vaccinated Individuals Should Also Be Quarantined"

Countries Without Omicron Reports
May Be Due to Limited Testing Capacity
At Least One Month Needed for Diagnostic Kit Distribution
Time Must Be Bought Through Strengthened Quarantine Measures

On the 1st, the Seoul Songpa-gu Public Health Center screening clinic was crowded with citizens seeking tests as the number of new COVID-19 cases reached a record high of 5,123. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Four people, including a couple in their 40s living in Incheon who arrived from Nigeria, are suspected of being infected with the Omicron variant, raising concerns about the possibility of domestic transmission. Experts advise that, as countries worldwide are rapidly locking down to prevent the influx of the Omicron variant, South Korea should significantly expand its current foreign entry ban, which is applied only to eight African countries. There are concerns that if the Omicron variant spreads amid the record-high number of new COVID-19 cases, the already strained healthcare system could collapse.

◆ Restrictions on Eight African Countries Are Insufficient = On the 1st, Professor Jeong Ki-seok of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital (former Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency) said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "Although the couple suspected of Omicron tested negative on the PCR test before boarding the plane, it is currently difficult to confirm Omicron infection through PCR tests." He emphasized, "Since diagnostic kits have not been developed yet, whole-genome sequencing is required to definitively confirm Omicron infection, which usually takes 5 to 6 days. Therefore, it is urgent to significantly strengthen entry restrictions to delay the variant's influx as much as possible."

On the 28th of last month, the government designated South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi as countries with strengthened quarantine measures, high-risk countries, and countries excluded from quarantine exemptions due to concerns about the Omicron variant. Even vaccinated Korean nationals entering from these countries must quarantine in temporary living facilities for 10 days. However, Nigeria is not included in the eight countries excluded from quarantine exemptions, so the couple returned home after entry. A 40-year-old acquaintance who helped the couple return home and their teenage cohabiting son are also suspected of Omicron infection, with final test results expected by 9 p.m. that day and within the week, respectively.

Professor Lee Hyuk-min of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Yonsei University College of Medicine said, "Countries that have not yet reported Omicron cases likely lack testing capacity rather than having no infections." He added, "Although Nigeria is in West Africa and has not reported Omicron cases, if it is in the African region, the scope of entry restrictions and management should be broadened as much as possible." He also suggested that, given the delayed confirmation of Omicron, it is necessary to quarantine entrants from South Africa's eight countries and other countries where cases have been reported to prevent community transmission.

Professor Chun Eun-mi of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital stated, "Vaccinated individuals are not separately quarantined in facilities, but if Omicron infection is later confirmed, it is highly likely that it has already spread in the community." She insisted, "All overseas entrants, regardless of nationality, should self-quarantine for 10 days, and entrants from high-risk areas should be quarantined in facilities." Professor Jeong also said, "Since the World Health Organization (WHO) has mentioned the possibility of immune evasion by Omicron, even vaccinated individuals should not be exempted from facility quarantine, and supervision should be strengthened." He added, "We need to strengthen our response more than we did for the Delta variant."

On the 1st, the Seoul Songpa-gu Public Health Center screening clinic was crowded with citizens seeking tests as the number of new COVID-19 cases reached a record high of 5,123. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

◆ Strengthening Quarantine Until Diagnostic Kits Are Developed = Developing diagnostic kits to identify the variant is also an urgent task. President Moon Jae-in, upon receiving a report of a suspected Omicron case the previous day, ordered the prompt completion of diagnostic kit development for Omicron detection. Professor Lee said, "Generally, it takes at least 1 to 2 weeks to develop a diagnostic kit, and at least a month to secure objectivity through multi-center evaluations by third parties." He added, "Since time is also needed for training medical institutions and laboratories nationwide after the kit's development, it is necessary to strengthen overall quarantine measures to minimize the possibility of variant influx."

In response to Omicron fears, the government has also taken steps. On the same day, Jeon Hae-cheol, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety), stated, "We will form and operate an inter-ministerial joint task force involving 11 ministries to swiftly establish quarantine strategies and rapidly implement strict overseas entrant management and PCR analysis method development to confirm infections." The government plans to discuss additional quarantine strengthening measures this week through the Recovery Support Committee, including reducing the size of private gatherings in the metropolitan area, limiting unvaccinated visitors to restaurants and cafes, and expanding the application of the quarantine pass.