An advisory panel of private experts to the Prime Minister's Office has recommended the government scrap the pre-entry test requirement, replacing them with post-arrival tests.
"We believe that the government should abolish the rule requiring the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within 48 hours or a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) confirmation issued within 24 hours of entry before returning home," said Jung Ki-suck, head of the National Advisory Committee on Infectious Disease Crisis Response, during a daily task force meeting on Monday.
Jung added that the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) should sufficiently discuss and change the regulation. He pointed out that scrapping the pre-entry inspection is the right direction, considering citizens' accuracy, effectiveness, and economic burden.
"Most countries conduct Covid-19 tests very shoddily," Jung said. "It is questionable whether Koreans should take these inconvenient tests and worry about their results.”
Jung also pointed to the high cost of Koreans undergoing testing abroad.
"An average of 20,000 Koreans return home a day. If they spend an average of 100,000 won ($74) on PCR or rapid antigen testing, Koreans are paying as much as 2 billion won a day, and 60 billion won a month, to foreign countries to receive the tests," Jung said.
However, Jung emphasized that Korea should not neglect the monitoring of variants coming in from abroad and maintain Covid-19 tests immediately after entry, currently required within 24 hours of entry.
"In addition, regular pre-PCR testing for high-risk groups, free PCR testing for the elderly, and rapid antigen testing for close contacts or symptomatic patients will still have to remain intact for the time being," Jung said. "However, some medical associations say rapid antigen testing for asymptomatic patients is meaningless."
Noting that the Covid-19 resurge passed its peak this summer, Jung advised the country to prepare for various scenarios, such as a continued decline, a repeat of a small-scale epidemic, or another pandemic during the winter.
"Reflecting the characteristics of Omicron, we recommend maintaining the current quarantine policy and the direction of the inspection and diagnosis policy, which focus on diagnostic testing capabilities on high-risk infection-vulnerable facilities," Jung said. "To establish a quarantine policy based on evidence and analysis, Korea needs to establish an information system that integrates infectious disease data such as monitoring and epidemiological investigations."
On Monday, Korea added 43,142 new Covid-19 infections, including 360 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 23,026,960, the KDCA said.
The country reported 49 new Covid-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 26,618, the KDCA said. The fatality rate stood at 0.12 percent. The number of critically ill patients reached 597, up from Sunday's 581, hitting the highest since late April.
While new virus cases have recently slowed down, authorities remain highly alert over a possible resurgence in the Covid-19 pandemic this fall.
Health authorities expect the number of daily infections to show a reduction trend this week or next week, but the numbers of Covid-19 deaths and critically ill patients could increase in the next two to three weeks.
The health agency projected the numbers of critically ill patients and Covid-19 deaths could reach 800 to 900 and 100 to 140, respectively, in early September.
According to the KDCA, about 44.66 million among 52 million Koreans have been fully vaccinated. In addition, about 33.54 million people had received their first booster shots, and 7.10 million had their second booster shots.