Over 5,000 Applications for Living Support and Leave Expenses Due to COVID-19 Quarantine

On the 7th, health authorities are loading bottled water, rice, ramen, and other daily necessities into a vehicle to supply each household in an apartment complex in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, where Korea's first cohort quarantine for an apartment was implemented.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced on the 14th that more than 5,000 applications for living support funds and paid leave benefits have been recorded nationwide due to quarantine measures caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

In Daegu, where there are many confirmed cases, 982 applications were received, and 790 in Gyeongbuk, totaling 1,772 applications from Daegu and Gyeongbuk alone. There were 1,713 applications for living support funds (970 in Daegu, 743 in Gyeongbuk) and 59 for paid leave benefits (12 in Daegu, 47 in Gyeongbuk). The living support fund is a system that provides living expenses to households that have received a quarantine notice and are quarantined, with 1.23 million KRW provided for a household of four. The paid leave benefit system supports employers who provide paid leave due to employee quarantine with up to 130,000 KRW per day. Nationwide, a total of 5,050 applications have been submitted so far.

The living support fund and paid leave benefits are based on the Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Act and can be applied for after the quarantine is lifted. Applications can be made at each eup, myeon, and dong office, and paid leave benefits can be applied for at the National Pension Service branches nationwide.

Emergency care services, which provide care regardless of income for children, elderly, and disabled persons left behind when their guardians are hospitalized or quarantined in facilities, have supported a total of 164 cases. Of these, 98 cases were supported in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, 64 in Busan, and 1 each in Seoul. Children receive care support such as meals through lunch boxes or meal vouchers, transportation to and from school, and home protection, while elderly and disabled persons have support programs tailored to their circumstances.

According to authorities, since the 9th, 43 replacement personnel have been provided to facilities where services were interrupted due to confirmed cases among facility workers, and 9 caregivers were supported at some hospitals where nursing staff were confirmed positive. At a briefing, Noh Hong-in, Controller of the Disaster and Safety Headquarters, said, "The Daegu Social Service Center has separately established an emergency care service support team to fill the care gap caused by COVID-19, recruiting volunteers such as care workers and disability activity supporters to provide services," and added, "We are grateful to those who have willingly come to places in need of care."

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