[Report] "Scan QR Code and Pass in 10 Seconds"... Smarter and More Convenient 'Smart Quarantine'

Experiencing 'Paperless Quarantine' at Gimhae International Airport
Quarantine Time Reduced from 1-2 Minutes to Just 10 Seconds
Free Testing Available for Symptomatic Travelers Even Without Epidemiological Links

On the afternoon of May 8, at the quarantine station of Gimhae International Airport in Gyeongnam, travelers who had just disembarked from their flights passed through by scanning QR codes on their smartphones at a scanner. This scene stood in contrast to the usual long lines that form when large numbers of people crowd the arrival area. Currently, incoming travelers are required to fill out a yellow paper "Health Declaration Form," and quarantine officers must visually check each person for symptoms related to infectious diseases. This has become a common sight at airports since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, such inconveniences have disappeared with the pilot operation of the "Smart Quarantine System" by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Incoming travelers can now access the quarantine system before reaching the quarantine checkpoint, complete the health declaration form in advance, download a QR code, and simply scan it to finish the quarantine process. The time required for quarantine, which used to take one to two minutes per person, has been reduced to just ten seconds.

On the afternoon of the 8th, a citizen is experiencing the "Q-Code Based Paperless Quarantine," which is being piloted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, at the quarantine station of Gimhae International Airport in Gyeongnam. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

As a citizen was passing through the quarantine station using a QR code, a "beep" warning sound was heard. This indicated that the traveler had a fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius or higher, exceeding the threshold. While asymptomatic travelers can pass through quickly, those with symptoms must proceed to the quarantine desk for a face-to-face epidemiological investigation.

No connection to infectious diseases was found during the epidemiological investigation for this traveler. In such cases, even symptomatic individuals are allowed to return home immediately, but the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency offered a free infectious disease test. The quarantine officer explained, "If you wish, you can receive a free infectious disease test, and you will receive the results via text message in about six hours to one day." The traveler with a high fever responded, "I was planning to visit a hospital anyway because of my fever," signed the consent form, underwent a COVID-19 diagnostic test, and then returned home.

On the afternoon of the 8th, at the quarantine station of Gimhae International Airport in Gyeongnam, a reporter is experiencing the role of a quarantine officer during the demonstration of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's "Traveler Respiratory Infectious Disease Testing Service." Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

On this day, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency demonstrated the convenience and excellence of the pilot smart quarantine system through a "role-playing" demonstration in front of the press and ten citizens (National Communication Group).

The "Q-Code Based Paperless Quarantine" is a pilot project that eliminates the distribution of paper health declaration forms and utilizes a pre-entry quarantine information system. Since September of last year, it has been operated at three airports: Gimhae, Daegu, and Cheongju. The government plans to expand the project to all airports by 2027. During the pilot operation, the utilization rate of the Q-Code among incoming travelers reached 92.6%, and 87% of survey respondents indicated their intention to use the system again on their next entry.

The Traveler Respiratory Infectious Disease Testing Service is a pilot project that introduces "voluntary reporting-based infectious disease testing for overseas travelers," aiming to enhance infectious disease surveillance and trend analysis. It has been operated at Gimpo, Jeju, and Gimhae airports from February of this year and will continue until the end of the year.

Under the previous system, even if overseas arrivals exhibited symptoms such as fever, they were not eligible for specimen collection unless there was an epidemiological link. However, this project provides free infectious disease testing services to symptomatic individuals who wish to be tested, even if there is no epidemiological link. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency explained that this improves quarantine effectiveness and allows for monitoring infectious disease trends and variants. During the pilot operation, 17 out of 52 symptomatic individuals underwent infectious disease testing, and among them, two tested positive?one for COVID-19 and one for influenza B?and were subsequently isolated.

Ji Youngmi, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stated, "We are considering how to communicate more efficiently with the public and provide better services during the quarantine process," and added, "Through the pilot project, we will ensure that better quarantine services are available at all airports nationwide, including Gimpo and Incheon, in the near future."