Nowon-gu Prevents Family Infections with 'Safe Accommodations'... Psychological Quarantine through 'Safe Book Lending'

Self-isolating individuals stay at home, families at 'Nowon Anshim Accommodation'... Fee is 20,000 KRW per day... Available to families of overseas-returned nationals and domestic self-isolators... From the 7th, 'Safe Book Loan Service' allows up to 5 books per person, promoting psychological quarantine through reading

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is carrying out projects to prevent the prolonged spread of COVID-19 and to provide psychological quarantine for residents.

They operate the ‘Nowon Safe Accommodation’ to prevent family infections that may occur during the self-quarantine period of Korean nationals entering from overseas, and provide the ‘Safe Book Loan Service’ as part of psychological quarantine to relieve emotional anxiety and depression.

First, ‘Nowon Safe Accommodation’ cooperates with hotels in the area. Korean nationals entering from overseas who are self-quarantining at home have their family members stay at the safe accommodation during the quarantine period, fundamentally blocking secondary infections among family members.

Since residents around the accommodation may feel anxious even if the self-quarantined person is asymptomatic, the alternative was devised to have the family members of the self-quarantined person stay at the ‘Safe Accommodation’ instead.

In particular, Nowon Safe Accommodation is available not only to families of overseas-entry Korean nationals under self-quarantine but also to families of domestic self-quarantined individuals. Families of overseas-entry self-quarantined persons and families of domestic self-quarantined persons can use different floors.

The daily accommodation fee for the safe accommodation is 99,000 KRW, with the hotel covering 50% (49,500 KRW), the district covering 30% (29,500 KRW), and the user family paying only 20%, which is 20,000 KRW per day. The accommodation fee must be prepaid according to the number of days used.

The Nowon-gu Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters provides information about the ‘Safe Accommodation’ during monitoring of self-quarantined individuals, and those who wish to use it can apply for use.

The district thoroughly monitors users of the safe accommodation by conducting daily visits and phone monitoring to check for any symptoms.

To prevent ‘Corona Blue (depression),’ the ‘Safe Book Loan Service’ is also implemented. As the government extended social distancing for two weeks, the importance of psychological quarantine increased, and to provide enjoyment through reading, the suspended book loan service is offered in a safe, non-face-to-face manner.

The service started on the 7th of this month, targeting five district public libraries (Nowon Information Library, Nowon Children’s Library, Wolgye Cultural Information Library, Sanggye Cultural Information Library, Bulam Library). Anyone with a library membership card can use it, with up to 5 books per person and a maximum loan period of 3 weeks. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for 60 people per library per day, totaling 300 people.

To use the service, from Tuesday to Sunday each week, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., users receive a registration number through the Safe Loan section of the Nowon-gu public library website’s short-term program, then write their desired books on the Safe Book Loan bulletin board.

The requested books can be picked up the next day during either the first session (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) or the second session (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) at a dedicated locker on the first floor of the library by entering the separately provided password. Books requested on Sunday can be picked up on Tuesday. If not collected on the designated day, the loan is canceled. Returns can be made at the unmanned return box of the library where the books were received.

All loaned books are disinfected using a book sterilizer before lending, and the lockers used for lending are also regularly disinfected and sanitized. Users are especially urged to wear masks when picking up books for the safety of all borrowers.

The district recently opened a drive-in theater at Nohae Neighborhood Park, which received great response, and is preparing to distribute pet plants and pottery kits soon.

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “In addition to Nowon Safe Accommodation, we are reviewing various measures to relieve the mental depression of residents caused by the prolonged COVID-19 situation. Since confirmed cases are still occurring continuously, I ask everyone not to let their guard down and to strictly follow social distancing and prevention guidelines.”

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