Temporary Home Isolation Transfer and 7-Day Quarantine for Short-Term Foreign Confirmed Cases
Mandatory Pre-Entry Testing Starting from the 5th
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Following the government's strengthened quarantine measures for arrivals from China, COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing has been made mandatory starting from the 2nd. Facilities and personnel capable of testing up to 550 people per day have been deployed at Incheon Airport, and temporary facilities for isolating confirmed positive arrivals have also been prepared.
Three Testing Centers Operated...7-Day Isolation in Temporary Facilities if Confirmed Positive
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on the 2nd, arrivals from China must undergo a COVID-19 PCR test upon entry starting that day. If classified as symptomatic during airport quarantine, specimens are collected at the quarantine station and the individual waits in the quarantine facility within the station. Even asymptomatic short-term foreign visitors must be tested at the airport testing center within Incheon Airport and wait for results. Korean nationals and long-term residents must receive PCR testing within one day of arrival at their respective local governments.
To this end, health authorities operate three testing centers at Terminals 1 and 2 of Incheon Airport. It is expected that up to 550 tests can be conducted daily through these centers. Approximately 500 quarantine support personnel have been deployed with cooperation from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, military, police, and fire departments. Two separate waiting areas capable of accommodating more than 500 people have also been established within the airport and are now operational. If a test result is positive, the individual will be isolated in a temporary facility for seven days. Cho Gyu-hong, the first deputy head of the CDSCH (Minister of Health and Welfare), stated at the previous CDSCH meeting, "We have currently prepared temporary home isolation facilities capable of accommodating up to 100 people and plan to secure additional backup facilities in Incheon, Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province."
The number of confirmed cases among arrivals from China is not expected to increase significantly for the time being. Starting today, Chinese consulates will restrict the issuance of short-term visas except for diplomatic/official purposes, essential business operations, and humanitarian reasons. This effectively blocks the entry of Chinese tourists. Among the 570 overseas imported confirmed cases in the past week (December 24-31, last year), 167 were arrivals from China, accounting for just under 30%.
Jo Gyu-hong, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), is presiding over the COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting at the Seoul Situation Center of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in the Government Seoul Office Building on the afternoon of the 1st. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Pre-Entry Testing Also Mandatory...Strengthened Quarantine for Arrivals from China
Along with mandatory PCR testing after arrival, the government has also reduced some flights from China and restricted additional increases starting today. Currently, flights arriving from China at four airports have been consolidated to Incheon Airport to ensure stable management of arrivals.
Furthermore, starting from the 5th, all Korean and foreign nationals boarding flights from China to South Korea must submit a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours or a negative professional rapid antigen test (RAT) result taken within 24 hours prior to boarding. The government has instructed airlines to verify the input of quarantine information in the 'Quarantine Information Pre-Entry System (Q-CODE)' before boarding and to restrict boarding if the information has not been entered.
The short-term visa issuance restriction will remain in effect until the 31st of this month, while other measures will continue until the 28th of next month. Deputy Head Cho emphasized, "Through thorough prior preparation, we will flawlessly implement quarantine measures including pre-entry PCR testing, airport quarantine after arrival, and isolation if confirmed positive," adding, "We will maintain a flawless quarantine posture until the COVID-19 situation in China stabilizes."
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