Incheon City to Reduce Temporary Screening Clinics from 17 to 12 Starting Next Month

Citizens who visited the temporary screening clinic are waiting to receive PCR tests. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City announced on the 26th that starting from the 1st of next month, it will reduce the number of temporary screening clinics from the current 17 to 12.

This decision follows the decreasing trend in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and tests conducted.

Among the 17 temporary screening clinics, five locations ? Dongincheon Station North Plaza (Dong-gu), Incheon National University Jemulpo Campus (Michuhol-gu), Woninjae Station (Yeonsu-gu), Arts Center Station (Namdong-gu), and Sintree Park (Bupyeong-gu) ? will operate only until the 30th of this month, and from the 1st of next month, only the remaining 12 locations will continue operating.

Separately, 11 screening clinics installed at health centers in each district will continue to operate as usual.

The operating hours for the temporary screening clinics are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

However, the temporary screening clinics at Songdo Dalbit Park parking lot, in front of Incheon City Hall plaza, and the sports field inside Yeolumul Stadium will additionally operate from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Incheon City began operating temporary screening clinics in December 2020. A total of 17 locations, including three drive-through testing sites at subway stations, plazas, and parks with high foot traffic in each district, have been operating year-round, 365 days a year.

During last month’s surge in COVID-19 cases, up to approximately 14,500 people underwent PCR testing daily. To date, about 2.8 million people (approximately 2.43 million PCR tests and 360,000 rapid antigen tests) have been tested for COVID-19 at the temporary screening clinics.

However, since the 14th of last month, positive results from expert rapid antigen tests (RAT) conducted at local clinics and hospitals have been recognized for isolation and treatment, and since the 11th, rapid antigen testing at screening clinics and temporary screening clinics has been discontinued, leading to a significant decrease in the number of tests conducted.