Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science

Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Yeungnam University Institute Medical Science (영남대 의대 학술지 편집위원회)
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Yeungnam University type drive-through (YU-Thru) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) screening system: a rapid and safe screening system

  • Seo, Wan Seok (Department of Psychiatry, Yeungnam University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Seong Ho (Department of Neurosurgery, Yeungnam University College of Medicine) ;
  • Song, Si Youn (Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Yeungnam University College of Medicine) ;
  • Hur, Jian (Department of Internal Medicine, Yeungnam University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Jun (Department of Neurology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine) ;
  • Choi, Sunho (Department of General Affairs, Yeungnam University Medical Center) ;
  • Lee, Yoojung (Department of Psychiatry, Yeungnam University Hospital) ;
  • Bai, Dai Seg (Department of Psychiatry, Yeungnam University Hospital)
  • Received : 2020.07.16
  • Accepted : 2020.08.31
  • Published : 2020.10.31
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Abstract

Active and prompt scale-up screening tests are essential to efficiently control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The goal of this work was to identify shortcomings in the conventional screening system (CSS) implemented in the beginning of the outbreak. To overcome these shortcomings, we then introduced a novel, independently developed system called the Yeungnam University type drive-through (YU-Thru), and distributed it nationwide in Korea. This system is similar to the drive-throughs utilized by fast food restaurants. YU-Thru system has shortened the time taken to test a single person to 2-4 minutes, by completely eliminating the time required to clean and ventilate the specimen collection room. This time requirement was a major drawback of the CSS. YU-Thru system also reduced the risk of subjects and medical staff infecting one another by using a separate and closed examination system. On average, 50 to 60 tests were conducted per day when using the CSS, while now up to 350 tests per day are conducted with the YU-Thru system. We believe that the YU-Thru system has made an important contribution to the rapid detection of COVID-19 in Daegu, South Korea. Here, we will describe the YU-Thru system in detail so that other countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks can take advantage of this system.

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References

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