If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, in accordance with the Act on the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases (hereinafter, “the Act”), the physician who made the diagnosis will notify the local public health center. The public health center will conduct investigations and provide guidance to the person who has tested positive and their associates to prevent further transmission.
1 Investigation of Infectious Disease (Article 15 of the Act)
The public health center will ask the infected person predominantly about the following.
* Basic information: age, occupation, affiliation, cohabitants, underlying illnesses, etc.
* Progress from development of symptoms or testing, current physical condition, status of transmission prevention measures taken at home
* If anyone around them has tested positive for COVID-19 or been unwell
* Movements from 14 days (particularly the last 7 days ) prior to developing symptoms (or from the date of positive test if asymptomatic), people they came in contact with during that period, the circumstances of that contact, and the contact details of those people.
2 Coordination of Recuperation Location (Articles, 19, 20, 44, etc. of the Act)
Depending on the infected person and the circumstances at home, a location for them to recuperate will be chosen and coordinated in consultation with a physician.
The standard choices will be hospitalization or recuperation in an accommodation facility. This is to prevent secondary transmission and to observe the patient’s health.
The patient will not be charged for hospitalization and medical fees or hotel charges while recuperating during the period that they remain infectious.
* Hospitalization (Hospitalization Recommendation)
For: Elderly patients, patients with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory illnesses, patients taking immunosuppressants or anticancer drugs, pregnant women, etc.
* Recuperation at Accommodation Facility
Mainly for: Patients whom a physician has determined do not require hospitalization and who have consented to recuperation at an accommodation facility
* Recuperation at Home
If recuperating at home, you must not leave the house, monitor your health, and continue to take measures to prevent transmitting the virus to people living in the same home and others
The criteria for discharge from hospital or release from recuperation at accommodation facility or at home (*) are as follows.
* Patients who had symptoms
（Exceptions: patients who had been supported with a ventilator or ECMO）
(1) 10 days have passed since the date symptoms first appeared and 72 hours have elapsed since symptoms receded.
(2) 24 hours have passed since symptoms receded and two negative tests are confirmed at least 24 hours apart.
* Patients who had no symptoms
(1) 10 days have passed since the date on which the positive test sample was collected.
(2) 6 days have passed since the date on which the positive test sample was collected and two negative tests are confirmed at least 24 hours apart.
(*)PCR or other test is not compulsory.
3 Notification of Restrictions on Work Attendance (Article 18 of the Act)
Under the Act, until there is no longer any risk of spreading COVID-19 to others around them, infected persons cannot engage in the “work that involves direct contact with food and beverages in the manufacture, sale, preparation, and handling of food or beverages” or “hospitality or other work that involves contact with large numbers of people.”
If an infected person engaged in these restricted duties, they may be subject to a fine.
The time “until there is no longer any risk of spreading” is the same as for the criteria for discharge from hospital or release from recuperation at accommodation facility or at home and shall be determined by the public health center.
4 Disinfection Orders (Article 27 of the Act), Prevention of Secondary Transmission
Surfaces, toilets, and other areas that the infected person has touched must be disinfected to prevent secondary transmission.
Refer to the attachment for how to disinfect your home.
5 Health Investigation, PCR Testing or Other Testing of People Around You (Article 15 of the Act)
Under the Act, the health of people around you will be investigated. People who, as a result of the investigation, are determined to be “close contacts” who have a high possibility of having been infected, will be asked to self-isolate at home for 14 days after the date of last contact and to undergo a PCR or other form of test.
When conducting these health investigations, it may be necessary to inform them they have been infected with COVID-19. We will undertake these procedures with due consultation to avoid misunderstandings and confusion, so we ask for your cooperation.