This photo, provided by the Seongdong Ward Office on June 12, 2020, shows health workers checking an elderly man’s fever at a caregiving facility in the eastern Seoul ward.
SEOUL, July 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Welfare facilities in Seoul that were closed due to the new coronavirus that hit the country in late January will start running again this month, the Seoul city government said Wednesday.
Under the plan, 553 facilities for the disabled and the elderly, including job training classes, free kitchens and various caregiving programs, will open in phased steps starting July 20, according to the Seoul metropolitan government.
The municipal government said that the decision, aimed at minimizing fallout from a disruption in caregiving services, was made in consultation with health authorities and welfare facilities.
The city government said that priority will be placed on more essential programs such as free meals for low-income visitors.
To minimize infection risks, the city government plans to limit the number of program users or run programs on alternate days.
Welfare facilities across the country temporarily closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the infectious virus is more likely to infect the elderly.
South Korea has reported more than 13,500 cases of the new coronavirus. It reported its first case on Jan. 20.
(Yonhap)
