The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Saturday it will extend the operation of temporary preemptive COVID-19 test centers by four more weeks to February 14.

The test sites, where anyone, regardless of symptoms, can get tested anonymously, have been operating since mid-December.

Seoul City said the extension is in line with special quarantine measures for the Lunar New Year holiday next month.

The test sites are set up in busy locations such as subway stations. Over the past month or so, more than 536-thousand people have been tested and nearly 17-hundred have tested positive.

Only 52 of the 56 centers will continue to operate considering efficiency and to help ease the fatigue of healthcare workers.

A city official urged people to voluntary get tested to prevent infections between family and friends ahead of the holiday.