Support of 65,000 'Non-contact Thermometers' to Seoul Academies and Churches

As COVID-19 Prolongs, Seoul City Directly Secures Thermometers Amid Private Sector Shortage

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 22nd that it will provide 65,000 non-contact thermometers to private multi-use facilities at risk of COVID-19 cluster infections.

Since last month, Seoul has urged private facilities such as religious institutions, indoor sports facilities, entertainment venues, PC rooms, singing practice rooms, academies, and private tutoring centers to comply with high-intensity social distancing and quarantine guidelines.

However, many private facilities have reported difficulties in purchasing thermometers on the market. In response, the city invested 4 billion KRW to secure a supply of about 50,000 non-contact thermometers through the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's temporary exemption on import requirements, and will distribute them to private facilities with urgent demand.

The city will distribute 50,000 purchased thermometers to religious institutions, indoor sports facilities, entertainment venues, PC rooms, singing practice rooms, academies, and private tutoring centers, and will allocate 15,000 to facilities used by vulnerable groups such as daycare centers, elementary after-school care facilities, nursing homes, senior centers, and welfare centers for the disabled.

Kim Hak-jin, Director of the Seoul Safety General Office, said, "We hope that providing thermometers to private multi-use facilities, which are facing difficulties more than anyone else due to social distancing, will be of some help."

Meanwhile, the city plans to lend smartphones with safety protection applications installed to self-quarantined individuals who have 2G mobile phones or no mobile phones, and will distribute 300 devices through autonomous districts starting from the 23rd.

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