High costs and kit shortages hamper Covid-19 testing for the most vulnerable

Social Affairs

High costs and kit shortages hamper Covid-19 testing for the most vulnerable

Published: 14 Aug. 2024, 18:02

A notice saying that Covid-19 self-testing kits are in stock is posted on the door of a pharmacy in Seoul on Tuesday. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The resurgence of Covid-19 cases is placing a strain on the most vulnerable groups, including older persons and the economically disadvantaged, leading some to forgo essential testing due to high costs.

Eighty-two-year-old Mr. Lee, residing in Jung District, central Seoul, recently visited a hospital for body aches but left without a diagnosis. Although the doctor recommended a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, the 30,000 won ($22) fee was too burdensome for him. A nurse suggested buying a self-testing kit from a pharmacy, but by the time he arrived, the kits were sold out.

“I can’t wander around in this weather searching for a kit, so I just suffered all weekend taking Tylenol,” Lee said.

Similarly, 72-year-old Lee Mi-yeon was discouraged from getting tested at a hospital despite suspecting she might have Covid-19. “Some hospitals offer free testing, but one charges 10,000 won while another asks for 30,000 won,” Lee said. “It’s difficult for me to move around due to my leg pain, and I don’t have the energy to find a cheaper place, so I just left the hospital without getting tested."

Covid-19 hospitalization cases have been rising, with the number surging to 861 in the first week of August — levels last seen in February, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on Tuesday.

As cases rise, older individuals and economically disadvantaged groups are increasingly struggling with the high costs of testing. The shortage of affordable self-testing kits exacerbates this issue, often preventing the most at-risk populations from accessing necessary tests.

Currently, high-risk individuals — those over 60 years old, those with weakened immune systems or those with existing health conditions — can receive PCR tests at a cost ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 won, depending on the medical institution. Although the government previously covered these costs for high-risk groups, a downgrade in the Covid-19’s national crisis level from the second highest level, "caution," to the lowest level, "attention," in April led to reduced subsidies. Individuals are now required to pay 50 percent of the test fee, with costs for others ranging from 30,000 to 80,000 won.

Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) range between 10,000 and 30,000 won, with costs varying based on whether individuals fall into high-risk groups and their symptoms. Costs also vary by testing device and hospital policies.

The high cost of Covid-19 tests has driven many to seek relatively cheaper self-testing kits, but these are frequently unavailable. Out of ten pharmacies in Mapo District, western Seoul, seven reported that nasal self-testing kits were unavailable.

“I ordered the kits today, but there’s no guarantee they will be delivered today or tomorrow. This situation has persisted for about a week,” said a pharmacist near Gongdeok Station.

Another pharmacist mentioned that the kits have been sold out since the previous afternoon, with more than “30 customers inquiring about them since then.”

Sixty-eight-year-old Son Hye-ji enter a pharmacy to purchase a self-testing kit but was unsuccessful. Despite checking three different pharmacies, all three told her that the kits are sold out. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Sixty-eight-year-old Son Hye-ji has been searching for kits for her husband, who is reluctant to visit a hospital to save on testing fees despite showing cold symptoms. “I went to three pharmacies, but none had any in stock,” Son said.

Jang, 69, expressed frustration with the lack of government subsidies. “Older people like me, with no income, would be able to get tested if the government provided some support,” Jang said. “I have cold symptoms, but without a kit and to prevent spreading the virus, I’ll have to stay home for a while.”

The number of Covid-19 hospitalizations has been on the rise since late June, after a steady decline from February. In the first week of August, 861 patients were hospitalized, a significant increase from the 148 cases reported in the second week of July, 226 in the third week and 475 in the fourth week, according to KDCA. This figure marks the highest number of cases since reaching 875 in the second week of February.

Of the 12,410 patients hospitalized this year, 65.2 percent, or 8,087, were people over 65 years old.

BY LEE BO-RAM, LEE CHAN-KYU, WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]