S.Korea to offer standard model of "Drive-Thru" virus-testing station to local gov'ts
Xinhua
1582880115000

000_1PE5Q4.jpg

Workers wearing protective gear disinfect ticket gates as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a subway station in Seoul on February 28, 2020. (Photo: AFP)

SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's health authorities said on Friday that it will draw up and provide the standard model of a so-called "Drive-Thru" virus-testing station for local governments as it can considerably lessen the testing time, according to local media reports.

Some of local governments introduced the Drive-Thru testing facilities, where drivers do not have to get out of cars but just open window to have their samples taken by medical staff in protective gear to test for the COVID-19.

It is expected to significantly increase the number of people with symptoms to be checked per day. It takes about 10 minutes to be examined, compared to at least half an hour for the testing at conventional testing stations.

The city governments of Goyang, just outside of the capital Seoul, and the port city of Incehon, west of Seoul, are running the Drive-Thru testing stations at the public parking spaces.

The administrative city of Sejong is also operating its Drive-Thru testing clinic at a temporary container building.

As of Friday morning, the number of COVID-19 infection cases here topped 2,000. Except for 31, all the confirmed cases were reported for the past 10 days.