Resumption of Senior Centers Operation in Yangcheon-gu

From the 27th, Senior Centers Will Gradually Reopen as Heat Relief Shelters... Operating with Limited Capacity from 1 PM to 5 PM on Weekdays

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) will sequentially resume operations from the 27th for 157 senior centers that have been closed since February due to the continuous spread of COVID-19.

First, before deciding to resume operations, Yangcheon-gu listened to the opinions of members of the 157 senior centers and the Korea Senior Citizens Association.

Reflecting opinions that there is concern about a gap in elderly care as seniors are exposed to other risks by wandering around senior centers with nowhere to go during the hot summer, and that most seniors hope for the reopening of senior centers, the decision was made to resume operations under the principle of social distancing level 1.

However, considering the risk of COVID-19 infection, senior centers will be operated in a limited capacity as heat relief shelters starting from the 27th, and the usage hours of the senior centers have been set from 1 PM to 5 PM on weekdays.

Additionally, the number of users will be limited within the range that allows 2-meter distancing, and cooking inside the senior centers is completely prohibited. Non-face-to-face one-on-one programs (such as growing bean sprouts and kidney beans, and making loofahs) conducted in nearby playgrounds and outdoor parks will be maintained as is.

The district plans to make every effort to ensure safe operation by completing disinfection and cleaning before opening, providing quarantine supplies such as hand sanitizers, designating infection control officers, deploying separate quarantine management personnel, and conducting related training.

After reopening, the district will frequently inspect the quarantine management status of the facilities, require the preparation of entry logs for workers, users, and visitors, strictly adhere to quarantine rules such as ventilating more than twice a day, and establish an emergency contact system with related organizations to respond to suspected cases, making every effort to prevent elderly people vulnerable to infectious diseases from being exposed to the risk of group infection.

Mayor Kim Soo-young said, “On the 22nd, I visited the field mayor’s office in Sinwol 4-dong and empathized with the seniors who said they were struggling with the scorching midday heat, and promptly decided to resume operations. Since the senior centers will be opened as heat relief shelters while COVID-19 has not ended, we will thoroughly prepare in advance to ensure that seniors can spend a cool and safe summer, and make every effort to do so.”

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