Jeonnam Province Strengthens Quarantine Measures Against 'Omicron' Variant Virus

Quarantine and Diagnostic Testing for 10 Days Regardless of Vaccination Status or Symptoms for Overseas Entrants

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 2nd that it will strengthen quarantine measures against the Omicron variant virus.

The Omicron variant, first identified in the Republic of South Africa, is rapidly spreading worldwide due to its high transmissibility. Due to concerns such as vaccine evasion, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated it as a variant of concern on the 26th of last month.

Although there are no confirmed cases in the Jeonnam region yet, thorough quarantine measures for overseas entrants are necessary as five people, including residents of the Seoul metropolitan area who visited Nigeria, have been infected domestically.

The province is expanding temporary living facilities by city and county to manage quarantine for overseas entrants, requiring a 10-day facility quarantine and four diagnostic tests during the isolation period.

The testing schedule is before entry, on the first day after entry, on the fifth day after entry, and before release from quarantine.

The government has also supplemented quarantine measures to strengthen isolation and testing for overseas entrants regardless of vaccination status or presence of symptoms.

Quarantine related to contact with confirmed cases will also be strengthened. Anyone who has contacted an Omicron variant confirmed case, including those fully vaccinated, will enter a 14-day self-quarantine.

If the confirmed case travels by private car, passengers must undergo active monitoring for 10 days and take a PCR test on the 2nd or 3rd day.

Kang Young-gu, Director of Health and Welfare at Jeonnam Province, said, “Although the characteristics of the Omicron variant are still under study, many experts believe it has strong transmissibility and vaccine evasion. Learning from the rapid spread of the Delta variant, we will block the regional spread of the Omicron variant in advance through thorough quarantine measures.”