"Living Expenses for Over 2 Weeks Quarantine Due to COVID-19: 1.23 Million KRW per Month for a Family of Four (Comprehensive)"

Kim Kang-rip, Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Vice Minister of Health and Welfare)
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The government will provide a monthly living allowance of 1.23 million KRW for a family of four to those hospitalized or quarantined due to the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia). If a worker is hospitalized or quarantined, paid leave will be granted, and employers can receive subsidies from the government.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for the novel coronavirus announced on the 8th that, after consultations with related ministries regarding the "Paid Leave Costs and Living Support Fund Amounts for the Occurrence of Novel Infectious Disease Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)," they have finalized this plan.

◆ 1.23 million KRW for a family of four under 2-week quarantine= The living support fund is provided to those who ▲ are hospitalized or quarantined under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, ▲ have received a quarantine (hospitalization treatment) notice issued by a public health center and are quarantined, ▲ faithfully comply with measures under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and ▲ have not received paid leave under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. Applications will be accepted starting from the 17th.

The support amount is based on the emergency welfare living support amount defined in the "Emergency Support Amount and Property Total Amount Criteria," and for those quarantined for 14 days or more, 1.23 million KRW per month is provided for a family of four. The standard amounts are 454,900 KRW for a single-person household, 774,700 KRW for a two-person household, 1,002,400 KRW for a three-person household, and 1,457,500 KRW for a five-person household. If the recipient is a foreigner, the single-person household rate applies. The living support fund can be applied for at the local city, county, or district office (or eup, myeon, dong) of the patient's or quarantined person's registered residence.

Paid leave costs are paid to employers who provide paid leave under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act to workers who are hospitalized or quarantined. The support amount is based on the daily wage of the worker, with a daily cap of 130,000 KRW. Employers can apply through the nearest branch of the National Pension Service. The living support fund and paid leave costs cannot be received simultaneously.

Overseas Koreans from Wuhan, China, are getting off the chartered plane that landed at Gimpo Airport on the morning of the 31st of last month and heading to the bus. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

◆ Movement for the 3rd evacuation of Wuhan residents= The government also conducted a demand survey to bring additional Korean residents in Wuhan, China, but drew a line saying that specific measures such as deploying temporary flights have "not yet been decided." Instead, Deputy Head Kim said, "I understand that the Consulate General in Wuhan has unofficially conducted a demand survey regarding the use of temporary flights in preparation for future changes in the situation," adding, "If additional flights are operated, plans to repatriate Chinese family members and families of our nationals will also be reviewed."

Previously, 701 Koreans residing in the Wuhan area were repatriated in two rounds on January 31 and February 1 via government-chartered flights. They are currently quarantined and living at the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, Chungnam, and the National Human Resources Development Institute for Public Officials in Jincheon, Chungbuk.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters stated, "Some residents have complained of fatigue due to prolonged quarantine life, and on the 7th, we provided a total of 60 medical services, including 44 general medical consultations and 16 psychological support sessions." Under the judgment of medical staff and epidemiologists, specimens were collected from a total of five cases (in Asan) for diagnostic testing, all of which returned negative results. One Korean citizen sent books and snacks by courier to the quarantined Wuhan residents, saying, "It must be hard for the children who have to stay confined for two weeks."

On the 7th, as the spread of the novel coronavirus infection continues, a visitor at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, is being guided by medical staff into the screening clinic. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

◆ Threefold increase in tests due to expanded case definition= According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the number of tests for the novel coronavirus has more than tripled since the criteria for testing were expanded the day before. Unlike before, testing can now be conducted based on a doctor's opinion if symptoms appear after traveling not only to China but also to countries where the novel coronavirus is spreading.

According to the expanded case definition, testing has been made available at 124 public health centers since the day before. The number of tests, which averaged 200 per day, has been expanded to up to 3,000. Deputy Head Kim said, "We understand there may be dissatisfaction from those who do not meet the testing criteria and thus cannot be tested," but asked for understanding, explaining, "Testing requires strict conditions such as genetic amplification testing equipment and specialized personnel, so there is a limit to the number of tests that can be conducted per day."

Meanwhile, as of 9 a.m. on the same day, one of the Wuhan residents living in the temporary living facility at the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, Chungnam, was confirmed as the 24th domestic case on the 6th, and no additional cases have occurred since. The total number of confirmed cases to date is 24. Among them, patients number 1 and 2 have completed treatment and been discharged. The total number of contacts with domestic patients is currently 1,701, an increase of 349 from the 1,352 announced the previous day. The total number of symptomatic individuals under investigation is 1,677, of whom 1,057 have been released from quarantine, and 620 are undergoing testing. The number of symptomatic individuals under testing increased by 293 from 327 the previous afternoon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.