The country from Dec. 30 began to use a homegrown PCR test that can detect the omicron variant of COVID-19 in a confirmed case in just three to four hours. Shown here is a testing kit at Gwangju Health and Environment Research Institute in Gwangju. (Yonhap News)

By Yoon Hee Young

A homegrown PCR test that can detect the omicron variant of COVID-19 in just three to four hours on Dec. 30 made its domestic debut.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Dec. 29 said the new diagnostic test on the same day was distributed to 23 local governments including disease management centers, as well as municipal and provincial branches of the Research Institute of Public Health and Environment. Formal use of the test began a day later.

The reagent was developed under cooperation between the public and private sectors to boost the monitoring of the inflow and regional outbreaks of omicron. The test slashes the time needed to detect the variant in a confirmed case of COVID-19 from three to five days to just three to four hours, resulting in more effective blocking of omicron's spread and transmission.

The new test can quickly detect four coronavirus variants -- alpha, beta, gamma and delta -- as well as omicron including its "stealth" version. Korea thus achieved a world first in developing one PCR test that can detect COVID-19's five main variants.

The government is also discussing contracts for the additional purchase of oral medication for COVID-19 enough for 1,004,000 patients to prevent omicron's spread and resume the country's phased return to daily life.

hyyoon@korea.kr