Boseong-gun's Proactive Welfare Support Efforts for COVID-19

Efforts to Overcome COVID-19 by Eliminating Welfare Blind Spots and Implementing Detailed Welfare Administration

[Boseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Chunsu] Amid the increasing economic difficulties caused by COVID-19, Boseong-gun is actively taking care of vulnerable groups in welfare blind spots.

On the 24th, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, announced that amid the prolonged COVID-19 situation, it is focusing on proactive welfare support by eliminating welfare blind spots and checking for any omissions in various projects and support.

In particular, it has made checking on the well-being of socially vulnerable groups such as elderly living alone, who are facing difficulties due to the significant reduction of face-to-face services caused by COVID-19, its top priority and has started developing various policies.

To celebrate Chuseok, from the 14th to the 29th, Boseong-gun began providing a ‘Chuseok Feast’ service to about 350 elderly people among the elderly customized care service recipients who have children living outside the area and will spend the Chuseok holiday alone, as well as elderly without relatives.

The recipients are provided with holiday food packages, and life support workers connect them to their children via video calls. For all 2,054 project recipients, non-face-to-face safety checks are conducted before and after the holiday, and an emergency contact network has been established to prepare for any emergencies.

Starting from the 21st, in response to increased welfare demands and rising resident fatigue due to the long-term closure of social welfare facilities, welfare facility operations have resumed. The 10 reopened facilities are operating while strictly adhering to quarantine rules.

For 10 living facilities vulnerable to COVID-19 group infections, strict quarantine measures such as strengthened admission procedures, visitation bans, and control of external visitors are being implemented through a 1:1 dedicated public official system.

Currently, 446 senior centers remain closed, and since social distancing level 2 is maintained, the decision to reopen will be made after monitoring the COVID-19 situation following Chuseok.

Boseong-gun is also actively addressing the economic difficulties of residents caused by COVID-19. Emergency welfare support is provided to households facing crisis situations such as unemployment and income reduction to eliminate welfare blind spots.

As of August, approximately 1.6 billion KRW of ‘Temporary Living Support for Low-Income Households’ was paid to 3,046 basic livelihood recipients and near-poverty households, and 3.5 billion KRW of ‘Jeonnam-type COVID-19 Emergency Living Expenses’ was supported to 8,279 economically struggling households. Additionally, 300 million KRW was urgently invested for vulnerable groups and COVID-19 patients in hospitalization or quarantine as living support funds.

In the second half of the year, 130,000 KF94 masks (33 masks per person) will be distributed to 4,121 low-income individuals as part of a fine dust mask support project. So far, donations totaling 64,115,000 KRW, along with masks and hand sanitizers, entrusted by 67 organizations and individuals including the Beolgyo-eup Village Chief Association, have been delivered to social welfare facilities and neighbors in need.

Governor Kim Cheol-woo said, “Although all residents are going through a difficult time due to COVID-19, we will definitely overcome it,” and added, “Even amid the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, we will do our best to ensure that our neighbors in need are not left out.”

Meanwhile, as part of this year’s priority projects, Boseong-gun is pushing forward to complete early the construction of the public Donghwa Nara daycare center, the establishment of rural public bathhouses, the functional enhancement of elderly care facilities, and the installation of the Boseong-gun Together Care Center.

In 2021, in line with the COVID-19 situation, various projects such as non-face-to-face AI Hyedoli, wandering detectors, and the construction of the public Chodongchingu daycare center will be developed to accelerate the implementation of new policies next year.

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