Elderly Vaccinated in Gangdong-gu Can Use Senior Centers and Welfare Facilities

From This Month, In-Person and Active Programs at Senior Welfare Facilities Resume... Eating Inside Senior Centers and Using Senior Welfare Center Cafeterias Allowed After Second Vaccination Completion

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) will expand the operation of senior leisure and welfare facilities such as senior centers and senior welfare centers starting this month to support the daily life recovery of elderly citizens who have completed their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Gangdong-gu's senior leisure and welfare facilities had been effectively inaccessible due to repeated closures and limited operations since February last year.

However, as the vaccination rate among local elderly residents has recently increased, the decision was made to expand the operation of senior leisure and welfare facilities after about 1 year and 5 months, allowing elderly citizens who have completed vaccination to use the facilities freely.

Senior centers can be freely used from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays if all members are vaccinated, and if all members have completed their second dose, cooking and eating inside the senior center are also permitted.

Additionally, programs to revitalize senior centers, such as health gymnastics and Korean language classes, will resume to help elderly citizens recover their daily lives. Elderly citizens who have completed their second dose can freely participate in face-to-face and active programs.

Senior welfare centers will also expand operations starting in July, similar to senior centers. Elderly citizens who have completed their first dose can participate in programs such as group counseling, yoga, and baduk (Go), while those who have completed their second dose can participate in more active programs like singing classes, wind instruments, and gateball, and food consumption is allowed.

Furthermore, the senior dining halls for elderly citizens who had stopped operating due to COVID-19 will resume operations in July, allowing vaccinated elderly citizens to use them. Elderly citizens who have received only the first dose or are unvaccinated will be provided with substitute meals as before. However, even if vaccinated, when using senior leisure and welfare facilities, individuals must comply with personal quarantine measures such as wearing masks at all times except in unavoidable situations like eating.

Since last year, the district has appointed infection control officers at each senior center to maintain constant disinfection, and professional companies conduct disinfection at senior centers and welfare centers regularly.

Starting in July, with the expanded operation of senior centers and welfare centers, approximately 150,000 masks will be distributed to these facilities, and infection control officers will also be designated at welfare centers to establish a more thorough quarantine system.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, "It is fortunate that elderly citizens can recover their previous daily lives," and added, "Even if you have completed vaccination, please do not be careless and use the facilities safely by adhering to personal quarantine measures such as wearing masks."

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