On the 5th, the number of new coronavirus infections (Corona 19) increased by 715, and medical staff are examining citizens at a corona19 screening clinic located in a public health center in Daejeon. Freelancer Seongtae Kim
– Hospital A, which operates a mobile screening laboratory for novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in Gyeonggi Province, recently received an official letter from a local government (local government) and was confused about whether to continue the test. It is because the cost of the Corona 19 test that the government has supported is in a position to be cut off.
It was on December 14 last year that Hospital A started operating a mobile screening laboratory. At that time, as the 3rd corona19 pandemic became uncontrollably serious, with an average of more than 1,000 confirmed cases per week at that time, the quarantine authorities established’temporary screening tests’ in 150 metropolitan areas to find and preemptively respond to prevalent asymptomatic infections, and anonymous and free tests. Proceeded. Private hospitals, such as Hospital A, also conducted tests free of charge in consultation with local governments and supported by the government budget.
There are many industrial complexes around Hospital A, so companies often book group examinations. This was to prevent collective infection in the workplace by asymptomatic infected people. Medical staff went on business trips, tented in front of the company, and tested them all day long fighting the cold. Hospital A, in consultation with local governments, completed appointments for inspections for each company until the 17th, which is the end of phase 2.5 of social distancing in the metropolitan area. A large amount of reagents, containers, and fixtures were also prepared for sample collection. Meanwhile, on the 2nd, an official letter came down from the local government.
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Busan City will install and operate a’visiting mobile screening station’ to visit the industrial complex by the 29th so that there are no blind spots for COVID-19 prevention. On the 5th, workers are being examined at a temporary screening test center installed in Gugi Park in Jangan Industrial Complex in Gijang-gun, Busan. Reporter Song Bong-geun
– According to the official letter, “Recently, the number of inspections has increased considerably, such as the enforcement of periodic preemptive inspections for workers in high-risk group facilities (420,000 people) due to the rapid increase in group infection of infected facilities such as nursing hospitals, and operation of temporary screening tests for early detection of asymptomatic infections. “Currently, the maximum daily inspection capacity is about 13.23 million, and if the number of inspections increases from this, epidemiological investigations and necessary measures may be delayed, leading to the spread of infectious diseases.”
He added, “If the local government plans its own diagnostic test or if the test is carried out through a consignment test institution, we hope to consult with the Centers for Disease Control in advance.”
A hospital official said, “I received all the reservations for free, but now I am embarrassed to say that the cost is not handled. I don’t understand when I ask you to do it.”
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Priority of corona 19 tests in an official letter sent by the quarantine authorities. Central photo
– According to the official letter, the priority of corona 19 testing is ① testing that conforms to the existing case definition (because of symptoms, contacts of confirmed patients, foreign residents, etc.) ② vulnerable facilities (nursing hospitals, facilities, etc.) periodic preemptive testing ③ Temporary screening test in the metropolitan area ④ Self-inspection by local governments ⑤ Self-inspection of companies and workplaces. The quarantine authorities said, “In order to efficiently use limited inspection capabilities, we avoid reckless inspections.” Among them, the 4th and 5th ranks said they would not support government funding.
Experts point out that this priority is not right in terms of quarantine. According to the Central Defense Countermeasure Headquarters, the total number of inspections conducted at the temporary selection inspection office in the metropolitan area since the start of operation on December 14 last year was 86,4220 as of 0 o’clock on the 7th. Of these, 2518 were confirmed as confirmed, and the confirmation rate was at 0.3%. This is a fifth of the overall test confirmation rate (1.5%).
Jae-wook Choi, a professor of preventive medicine at Korea University Medical School, said, “The purpose of operating the temporary screening laboratory is to find asymptomatic infections in advance and to actively quarantine them. He pointed out that the route should be different from the inspection of the bequest box or the facility vulnerable to infection.” Professor Choi said, “The group with high possibility of spreading Corona 19 with asymptomatic infection in the community is young people, such as office workers and college students with a lot of mobility. It is more efficient to inspect intensively on the back.”
Reporter Lee Tae-yoon [email protected]
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