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South Korea considers use of COVID-19 self-test kits amid fourth wave fears

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Hyonhee Shin, Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/04/13/health-coronavirus-southkorea.jpg"/><figcaption>People walk near a cherry blossom street, closed to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Seoul, South Korea, April 1, 2021.<em> Heo Ran, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>SEOUL - South Korea&#x27;s health authorities said on Tuesday they would consider the use of coronavirus self-test kits despite their relatively low accuracy, after the new mayor of Seoul called for their approval.</p><p>The government had been reluctant to allow self-test kits, citing their lower accuracy than industry-standard PCR tests and specialist-administered rapid tests which are already in place. The possibility of false negatives is higher, authorities say, as a high viral load in the nasal passageways is often essential to secure a reliable result.</p><p>But some local government chiefs and experts have highlighted the need for the use of self-test kits as a supplementary tool in recent weeks amid fears of a potential fourth wave of outbreaks of COVID-19.</p><p>Oh Se-hoon, who became mayor of the capital Seoul following last week&#x27;s special election, called on the drug safety ministry to approve those kits to be used at homes, restaurants, shops and religious facilities as a quick and easy device to detect possible infections.</p><p>Oh had blamed the government for failing to contain a third wave of COVID-19 and reduce the hardships of small business owners by sticking to ineffective distancing curbs.</p><p>&quot;It is burdensome to maintain the anti-virus system as it is. We need to try new ideas and change our way of thinking,&quot; Oh said at a cabinet meeting, the first he has attended since taking office.</p><p>&quot;I urge the drug safety ministry to grant approval for the use of self-test kits in the near future.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/03/13/21/south-korea-reports-3-week-high-490-covid-19-cases">South Korea reports 3-week high 490 COVID-19 cases</a></li></ul><p>Drug Safety Minister Kim Gang-lip said the kits might be helpful if used on a limited basis, but the current rules allow products with 90% accuracy - compared with 98% accuracy proven by PCR tests.</p><p>&quot;I expect to make good use of the kits which have a positive aspect as a supplementary tool ... if you bear their side effect in mind sufficiently,&quot; Kim said in response at the cabinet meeting, promising to speed up the evaluation process.</p><p>The discussions came as South Korea struggles with a surge in cluster infections, mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area, prompting authorities to reimpose a ban on nightclubs, karaoke bars and other nightly entertainment facilities, which came into effect on Monday.</p><p>The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 542 new cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, marking a slight fall due to fewer tests during the weekend after the daily tally soared above 600 for six straight days.</p><p>Total infections in South Korea stand at 110,688 since the pandemic began, with 1,775 deaths.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/08/21/south-korea-reports-surge-in-coronavirus-cases-more-restrictions-expected">South Korea reports surge in coronavirus cases, more restrictions expected</a></li></ul><div><strong> RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/08/21/south-korea-reports-surge-in-coronavirus-cases-more-restrictions-expected&amp;title=South Korea reports surge in coronavirus cases, more restrictions expected&amp;vid=1641722" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//tfc.tv/">iWantTFC</a></div>

<p>South Korea's health authorities said on Tuesday they would consider the use of coronavirus self-test kits despite their relatively low accuracy, after the new mayor of Seoul called for their approval.</p>

South Korea's health authorities said on Tuesday they would consider the use of coronavirus self-test kits despite their relatively low accuracy, after the new mayor of Seoul called for their approval.

South Korea considers use of COVID-19 self-test kits amid fourth wave fears

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South Korea considers use of COVID-19 self-test kits amid fourth wave fears

Hyonhee Shin,

Reuters

Published Apr 13, 2021 05:48 PM PHT

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South Korea

COVID-19

COVID-19 testing

coronavirus

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self-test kit

global pandemic

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