BACKGROUND Hospital infection control measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are often based on expert discretion due to the lack of detailed guidelines.

AIM To survey the current strategies for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in medical institutions.

METHODS Thirteen key issues related to the prevention of COVID-19 transmission within medical institutions were selected via discussion among infectious diseases specialists, and related critical questions were obtained following a review of national-level guidelines in government databases. Six hospitals had an open survey between 11^th and 25^th August 2020 to provide responses to these topics. An online questionnaire developed from these data was sent to infection control teams at 46 hospitals in South Korea between 31^st January 2021 and 20^th February 2021.

FINDINGS All 46 hospitals responded to the survey. All operated screening clinics, but 89.1% (41/46) allowed symptomatic patients without COVID-19-associated symptoms to visit general outpatient clinics. Most hospitals (87.2%, 34/39) conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for all hospitalized patients. Of 35/46 (76.1%) hospitals with pre-emptive isolation policies for hospitalized patients, 31 (88.6%) released patients from isolation after a single negative PCR test, while most (76.9%, 20/26) allowed shared-room accommodation for patients meeting the national criteria for release from isolation despite positive PCR results with above cycle threshold values (34.6%, 9/26), or after a certain period that satisfied the national criteria (26.9%, 7/26).

CONCLUSION Individual hospitals in South Korea are currently relying on experience to frame relevant guidelines, and responded differently to some infection control issues on hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.