[Q&A] How Will COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Change... Available at Local Clinics from February 3

Starting with 431 Respiratory Specialized Clinics
Over 1,000 Hospitals and Clinics Expected to Participate

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] Starting from the 3rd of next month, local clinics and hospitals will be able to provide COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment. Suspected COVID-19 cases can receive rapid antigen tests at designated medical institutions, and if a final positive diagnosis is confirmed through a PCR test, they can be managed seamlessly from prescription of oral antiviral treatments to home care.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced on the 28th an implementation plan for transitioning the testing and treatment system at local clinics and hospitals based on this content. Below is a summary of the government’s announced testing and treatment system for local clinics and hospitals.

- How will COVID-19 diagnostic testing change?

▲ PCR testing will be prioritized for high-risk groups. High-risk groups such as epidemiological contacts and elderly people aged 60 and above can receive free PCR tests at screening clinics and temporary screening testing sites. General citizens, excluding these groups, can get tested at screening clinics or respiratory clinics. At screening clinics, PCR tests are only conducted if a positive result is obtained from a self-test kit under supervision. At respiratory clinics, after a doctor's examination, patients receive a professional rapid antigen test, and if positive, a PCR test is conducted at the medical institution or screening clinic.

- From when can diagnostic tests be received at local clinics and hospitals?

▲ From the 3rd of next month, COVID-19 diagnosis and testing will first be available at 431 designated respiratory specialized clinics nationwide. Respiratory specialized clinics are clinics or hospitals equipped with negative pressure facilities and infection control capabilities, with separate pathways for patients with respiratory symptoms and those without. A total of 431 locations nationwide have been designated (115 clinics, 150 hospitals, 166 general hospitals).

Other local clinics and hospitals have been accepting participation applications since the day before, and from the 3rd of next month, about 1,000 additional clinics, mainly otolaryngology clinics that primarily treat respiratory patients, are expected to be able to conduct tests.

- What is the current number of people receiving home treatment and the management status?

▲ As of midnight on this day, there are a total of 50,627 people receiving home treatment nationwide, and 402 medical institutions managing home treatment are operating at about 60% capacity, indicating appropriate management. By the end of this month, the system aims to manage up to 110,000 home treatment patients, and additional medical institutions are being secured to handle 30,000 to 50,000 confirmed cases next month.

Additionally, the number of phone monitoring sessions by managing medical institutions for home treatment patients can be reduced from the current 2-3 times per day to 1-2 times, or the number of home treatment patients per doctor can be increased from 100 to 150, thereby increasing the capacity of managing medical institutions.

- What kind of management do home treatment patients receive at night?

▲ If a home treatment patient is assigned to a clinic-level respiratory specialized clinic, a management gap occurs after outpatient hours end at 7 p.m., so the management responsibility is transferred to hospital-level managing medical institutions within the region. Accordingly, the authorities will separately inform home treatment patients about the operating hours of the assigned respiratory specialized clinics.

Home treatment at local clinics and hospitals is currently set for 7 days. After 7 days, the treatment is lifted. If a patient suddenly feels unwell during home treatment and requires outpatient care, they must visit an outpatient treatment center rather than the home treatment institution. There are 52 such centers nationwide, including 21 in Seoul, 26 in Gyeonggi, and 3 in Incheon.