Yongsan-gu, Contracted Medical Institutions Administer Novavax Vaccine

[Seoul District News] Yongsan-gu Designates 8 Same-Day Vaccination Delegated Medical Institutions; High-Risk Individuals Aged 18+ to Inquire Before Vaccination from the 14th... Eunpyeong-gu Expands Dedicated Team for New Home Treatment System... Mapo-gu Operates 'Transparent PET Bottle Separation Bin'... Geumcheon Science Festival Wins Grand Prize for Excellent Local Online Festival... Seongbuk-gu Implements 2022 Resident Safety Insurance, Expands Coverage Limit for Burn Surgery Expenses... Guro-gu Changes Sanitary Pad Support Target for Low-Income or Single-Parent Families from Ages 11-18 to 9-24

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seongchang Hyun) began administering the Novavax vaccine to unvaccinated adults aged 18 and over starting from the 14th.

As of midnight on the 15th, the third-dose vaccination rate in Yongsan-gu, including both Korean and foreign residents, stands at 57.6%. The rates by age group are: 92.0% for those aged 60 and above, 73.2% for those in their 50s, 56.6% for those in their 40s, 48.9% for those in their 30s, 40.2% for those in their 20s, and 38.2% for those aged 18 and above. The number of unvaccinated residents is 43,006.

Novavax vaccination targets high-risk groups among unvaccinated adults aged 18 and over, such as hospitalized patients at high risk of severe illness or death, and persons with severe disabilities. However, adults who experienced adverse reactions after the first or second dose may receive the third dose based on a physician's opinion.

The district conducted a demand survey for institutions wishing to administer Novavax vaccines in January. Considering residents' accessibility by region and vaccine management, eight designated medical institutions for same-day vaccination were appointed on the 17th of last month.

The designated medical institutions are ▲Kim Internal Medicine Clinic (Hyochang-dong) ▲Yonsei Woori Clinic (Cheongpa-dong) ▲Core ENT Clinic (Hangangno-dong) ▲Jung Pediatrics Clinic (Huam-dong) ▲Hannam Wellbeing Clinic (Hannam-dong) ▲Itaewon Clinic (Itaewon-dong) ▲Geumgang Asan Hospital (Ichon-dong) ▲Yeon Pediatrics Clinic (Bokwang-dong).

High-risk groups can inquire at medical institutions and receive same-day vaccination. Contact information for hospitals can be found on the district's website.

A district official stated, "On the first day of Novavax vaccine introduction, 111 doses were administered at designated medical institutions," adding, "We are securing emergency Novavax vaccine supplies to prepare for any potential vaccine shortage."

General residents can also receive the Novavax vaccine. Until March 6, same-day vaccination is available through leftover vaccine reservations, and from the 21st of this month, advance reservations will be accepted. Vaccinations will be administered starting two weeks after the reservation date, from March 7 onward. From March 7, the number of medical institutions administering Novavax vaccines in the region will expand to 76.

Seongchang Hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, "The introduction of the Novavax vaccine will encourage residents concerned about side effects to participate in vaccination," and added, "We will thoroughly manage vaccine supply and designated medical institutions and ensure the smooth progress of the fourth dose for high-risk groups."

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced on the 16th that it will expand the operation of the dedicated home treatment team to establish a new home treatment system.

Earlier, on the 10th, the district established a general home treatment management team, expanding the dedicated home treatment teams to a total of three teams with 64 members. This move aligns with the government's COVID-19 quarantine guidelines and the reorganization of the home treatment management system announced on the 9th. The expanded dedicated home treatment teams consist of a general team, an intensive management team, and a general management team.

The revised government home treatment management system divides home treatment patients into general management and intensive management groups. Monitoring is limited to the intensive management group, which includes those aged 60 and over or those eligible for oral antiviral treatment, while the lower-risk general management group under 60 receives non-face-to-face medical consultations and telemedicine.

To manage the general management group, the district established a 'Home Treatment Call Center,' which has been operating since the 10th.

Residents in the general management group can receive non-face-to-face telephone consultations and prescriptions through 12 designated medical institutions in the district. Prescribed medications can be collected at nearby pharmacies by co-isolated persons.

Residents in the intensive management group receive home treatment kits including thermometers, oxygen saturation monitors, and antipyretics. The district conducts health monitoring twice daily through managing medical institutions, provides 24-hour consultation and medical care, and monitors emergency situations for intensive management.

The district has established a treatment system linked with Seoul Metropolitan Seobuk Hospital, an outpatient center in Eunpyeong-gu, for residents requiring face-to-face treatment. This aims to reduce residents' anxiety through prompt medical care and operate a stable home treatment system.

A district official said, "We will continue to make every effort to protect the health and safety of residents, including proactive operation of the home treatment call center."

Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) announced on the 14th that it has started operating 'Transparent PET Bottle Separate Collection Bins' utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

Transparent PET bottles are high-quality recycled materials that can produce long fibers. When properly separated and collected, they can be transformed into products such as clothing and bags, serving as a foundation for preventing environmental pollution and establishing a resource circulation system.

The district participated in the 'Seoul IoT Pilot Project' to establish an eco-friendly resource circulation system using transparent PET bottles, secured a budget, and installed transparent PET bottle separate collection bins at 10 locations within the district in January, completing device testing.

The usage method is to place a transparent PET bottle, cleaned inside and with the label removed, into the IoT-based separate collection bin. For each transparent PET bottle deposited, 10 points are credited through the 'Today's Recycling' app.

When 100 points are accumulated, they can be exchanged for 200ml of milk; at 2,000 points, they can be exchanged for pizza. Other rewards include bottled water, barley tea, and upcycled products, providing various incentives to naturally encourage separate collection of transparent PET bottles.

The bins were installed in three youth-dense areas?Hongik University, Sogang University, and Sinchon E-Land Peer Youth Housing?reflecting that Mapo-gu ranks fourth among Seoul's 25 districts in the number of single-person young households.

Additionally, bins were installed at seven public facilities frequently used by residents, including Mapo-gu Office and Mapo Central Library, to enhance accessibility. Detailed locations can be checked on the 'Today's Recycling' app.

In March last year, the district signed a business agreement with clothing manufacturer Black Yak to expand transparent PET bottle recycling. Mapo-gu provides high-quality transparent PET bottles, and Black Yak produces clothing and accessories from collected PET bottles.

In November last year, tumbler bags made from transparent PET bottles were distributed to all Mapo-gu employees for use at nearby coffee shops. Since January this year, 'Transparent PET Bottle Separate Collection Nets' made from transparent PET bottles have been placed in all departments to separately collect transparent PET bottles, leading efforts to spread recycling culture.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, "Transparent PET bottles collected through the bins will be used in high-quality recycling projects," adding, "We plan to secure budgets and expand the operation of 'Transparent PET Bottle Separate Collection Bins' in the future."

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon) won the grand prize at the '2021 Excellent Regional Online Festival Awards' hosted by the K-Culture Convergence Association.

This award was planned to encourage local governments that contributed to regional development by developing new forms of festivals called 'online festivals' amid widespread cancellations of local festivals due to COVID-19.

The evaluation of awardees was based on about 80 online (including on- and offline) festivals held nationwide in 2021, considering ▲online participation services ▲citizen participation rates ▲festival operation ▲satisfaction.

Geumcheon-gu was recognized for opening a new horizon for hybrid online and offline festivals through event planning and operation featuring accessibility, usefulness, and diversity, including 'metaverse,' 'large robot performances,' and 'science film screenings.'

The '2021 Geumcheon Science Festival,' held last year under the slogan 'Filling Geumcheon's Tomorrow with Science,' took place over six days from November 1 at seven institutions including ▲Geumcheon-gu Office ▲Geumcheon Science Cube ▲Geumcheon Career and Academic Center ▲Geumcheon Youth Startup Hub.

Various events such as coding drone, robot, metaverse, and artificial intelligence (AI) experience events; science film screenings and discussion sessions; future education festivals; local education forums; hackathon competitions; and family science contests attracted over 7,300 participants online and offline combined, achieving a high satisfaction rate of 94.6%.

Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "Although it was a difficult time due to COVID-19, I am pleased that Geumcheon's efforts to revitalize residents' lives through new festival operations combining online and offline methods were highly evaluated," adding, "We plan to hold a resident-participatory Geumcheon Science Festival centered on advanced technology this year, so please look forward to it."

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) launched the '2022 Seongbuk-gu Resident Safety Insurance' on the 1st of this month to support the safety of residents affected by various disasters and accidents.

This system is a group insurance policy that provides accident compensation to all Seongbuk-gu residents and has been implemented by the district since February 2020 as part of its safety policy.

Main coverage includes ▲death from gas accidents ▲permanent disability ▲burn surgery expenses ▲death from water-related accidents ▲injury treatment for traffic accidents in school zones for children under 12. Insurance claims can be filed within three years from the date of the accident through a dedicated insurance company window. Additionally, this resident safety insurance allows for overlapping compensation regardless of other insurance policies.

This year, Seongbuk-gu decided to remove coverage items with low operational efficiency, such as medical malpractice legal support and support for victims of youth abduction, kidnapping, and hostage situations, and to increase the burn surgery coverage amount from 1.4 million KRW to 2 million KRW per case due to the high number of claims.

Since the insurance's implementation in February 2020, compensation has been paid for various reasons including burns caused by electric shock, burns occurring at home, fractures during public transportation use, and death from fire. Among these, burn and fire-related claims have been the most frequent, which has been reflected in this year's policy adjustments.

In August last year, a resident expressed gratitude after receiving economic loss compensation through the resident safety insurance. A 5-year-old child suffered burns from hot soup spilled inside a moving vehicle due to an opened container lid, and the insurance covered the burn surgery expenses. The child's parents said, "The resident safety insurance was very helpful for treatment."

A Seongbuk-gu official stated, "We will actively promote the resident safety insurance system to prevent residents from missing out on compensation due to lack of awareness and support residents to receive maximum insurance benefits within the budget."

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) is expanding the target group for the 'Menstrual Product Support Project for Female Adolescents.'

Guro-gu announced on the 16th that "the age range for menstrual product voucher support for female adolescents, previously from 11 to 18 years old, will be expanded this year to cover ages 9 to 24."

The support targets are females aged 9 to 24 (born between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2013) who are recipients of livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act, legally designated low-income groups, or eligible under the Single-Parent Family Support Act.

Applications can be made by the individual or their guardian by visiting the local community service center. Applications are also possible via the Bokjiro website or Bokjiro app.

The support amount is 12,000 KRW per month, up to 144,000 KRW annually. However, for those aged 19 to 24, support will begin in May this year, with a maximum annual amount of 96,000 KRW.

Menstrual products can be purchased at affiliated online and offline stores using the National Happiness Card. The card can be issued by five card companies: BC, Samsung, Lotte, KB Kookmin, and Shinhan. Since affiliated stores vary by card company, it is necessary to check when applying for card issuance via call centers or bank visits.

Detailed information is available on the Bokjiro website.

In 2019, Guro-gu was the first district in Seoul to enact the 'Ordinance on Universal Provision of Menstrual Products for Female Adolescents,' supporting menstrual products for females aged 11 to 18.

Based on this ordinance, over 2020 and 2021, menstrual product storage boxes were installed in 32 locations including 26 middle and high schools, youth cultural centers, and six special schools within the district.

This year, the district accepted applications from participating organizations until the 3rd of this month to continue the same project. After screening, institutions will be selected, and installation of menstrual product storage boxes is scheduled to begin in March.

A Guro-gu official said, "We hope that expanding the support target will reduce the economic burden of purchasing menstrual products for more adolescents," adding, "We will continue to do our best to create an environment where adolescents can grow up healthily."

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