LOCAL GOVT'S EFFORT IN CURBING COVID-19

[Anchor Lead]

Gangneung of Gangwon-do Province is calling on all its citizens to take COVID-19 tests at a drive-through test site. The move is to help contain the resurgence of the coronavirus. While asking for citizens’ active cooperation, the city government is stressing any Gangneung resident can receive a test for free, even if they don’t show symptoms.

[Pkg]

The parking lot of a Winter Olympic Games stadium has been transformed into a drive-through COVID-19 test site. The Gangneung city government is offering free COVID-19 tests to all of its residents, following a recent spike in locally transmitted infections there. While staying in their cars, people can go through all medical procedures from initial inquiries to temperature checks and to test sample collections. The test facility operates from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those with symptoms are given priority and served first. But any one can take a test even if they show no symptoms.

[Soundbite] "Are you O.K.? The result will come out as early as tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at the latest."

Some 1,600 people have taken tests since the drive-through test site opened on Sunday. Two people tested positive on the first day. The city government aims to have a third of its 213,000 citizens take tests.

[Soundbite] KIM HAN-GEUN(GANGNEUNG MAYOR) : "Massive infections could be prevented to some extent if a third of our citizens take tests. The drive-through test site will be operated throughout the winter."

But many of them are reluctant to take tests. On top of the fact that testing is not mandatory, it is also because they have to self-isolate until test results come out. The city government is asking its citizens to actively cooperate with the testing.