| People stand in line to get tested for the coronavirus at a testing center near Seoul Station, Tuesday. Yonhap |
By Lee Hyo-jin
The government will introduce new pandemic response strategies focused on containing the spread of the Omicron variant, bracing for a possible Omicron-led wave of the coronavirus in the coming weeks.
The authorities plan to take a "choice and concentration" approach, utilizing its "3T" ― test, trace and treat ― tactics, while swiftly introducing antiviral pills for high-risk patients undergoing home treatment.
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said Tuesday that it is drawing up a new quarantine scheme in response to the Omicron variant, with details to be announced later this week.
The move comes as the country is facing the increasing spread of the highly transmissible variant.
Although the current spread is led by the Delta strain, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) predicted that the Omicron variant, which currently accounts for about 10 percent of total infections, will take over as the dominant strain by the end of January.
The Omicron variant, which has been found to be more transmissible than its predecessors, has spread among 2,351 people here as of Monday, marking a weekly increase of 44 percent from the 1,318 cases reported as of Jan. 3.
The authorities expressed concerns that a possible Omicron-led wave may result in an explosive number of daily infections of up to 10,000, even if the current social distancing measures remain in place.
Against this backdrop, the government plans to ramp up its polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing capacity to 850,000 tests per day, up from the current 750,000.
The increased PCR testing capacity will focus on priority groups, including the elderly population, people with underlying medical conditions, and those who have come in close contact with a COVID-19 patient.
| This undated file photo shows a COVID-19 self-test kit developed by local biotech firm SD Biosensor. Yonhap |
To ease the burden of PCR tests, the government is considering adopting rapid antigen tests for less urgent cases. The self-testing kits have not yet been actively used by the government as a standardized diagnostic tool, due to their lower accuracy compared to PCR tests.
However, as the Omicron surge is expected to drive up testing demand, the rapid test kits could be used at small clinics, as well as at schools following discussions with education authorities.
The government will also increase the medical capacity to treat patients with mild symptoms, as most people infected with the Omicron variant are showing less severe symptoms.
Currently, COVID-19 patients receive treatment at isolated treatment centers at general hospitals, but experts are calling on the government to designate smaller clinics to treat people too.
"Once the Omicron variant becomes dominant and infections begin to surge, it will be inevitable for patients to receive treatment at smaller hospitals. The government should prepare treatment guidelines for such clinics," said Jung Jae-hun, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon Medical Center.
Meanwhile, the KDCA reported 3,097 new infections for Monday, with 780 patients in critical condition and 43 deaths.
The government will announce on Friday whether to extend the current social distancing measures after they end on Jan. 16.
Although the current virus situation is showing signs of slowing down, the authorities have expressed concerns that the Lunar New Year holiday could be a watershed for a spike in Omicron-led COVID-19 infections.
The national holiday, which runs from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, during which millions of people travel across the country to meet their families and relatives, may lead to a surge in infections, they said.