"600 Won a Day Begging, Masks Are a Dream" Homeless People Exposed Unprotected to Wuhan Pneumonia Fear

Homeless People Exposed Unprotected to 'Wuhan Pneumonia Infection Risk'
Urgent Need for Pneumonia Prevention Measures for the Homeless

A homeless person begging on the stairs at a subway entrance in Jongno, Seoul, on the 28th. He said he cannot afford to buy a mask amid concerns about the Wuhan pneumonia infection. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "What good is a mask? It's like telling us to just die."

As the fear of Wuhan pneumonia spreads following the fourth confirmed case of the novel coronavirus (Wuhan pneumonia) in South Korea, homeless people who eat and sleep on the streets are effectively left defenseless.

Although organizations helping homeless rehabilitation are providing masks and hand sanitizers to prevent Wuhan pneumonia infection, there are homeless people in blind spots who go unnoticed, raising concerns about infection risks.

On the afternoon of the 28th, homeless person A (54), whom we met on the stairs of a subway station in Jongno, Seoul, was not wearing a mask. His hands appeared unhygienic at a glance. A box placed beside A, who was begging passersby, contained 600 won.

On the 28th, homeless person A received only 600 won from citizens at the entrance of a subway station in Jongno as of around 7 p.m. With this amount, it is impossible to purchase a mask that can prevent Wuhan pneumonia. Photo by Han Seung-gon hsg@asiae.co.kr

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended wearing masks rated KF94 or higher to prevent Wuhan pneumonia infection. Health masks certified with KF94 grade can be easily purchased online. The price is around 900 won.

However, in A’s situation, he cannot afford to buy this mask. He is helpless in the face of the risk of Wuhan pneumonia infection.

Even if he could buy a mask, since disposable masks must be used once and then replaced with a new one, continuous expenses are inevitable. Ultimately, masks for preventing Wuhan pneumonia are out of the question for A.

He lamented, "Where would I get money to buy a mask?" and added, "People who at least have sleeping bags seem somewhat better off."

He continued, "If I keep wearing a mask, some people might say, 'Are you wearing a mask?' and say something about it," and said, "Even if I had money to buy a mask, I wouldn’t wear it."

When asked, "What would you do if you caught pneumonia?" he replied, "If I catch it, I just catch it. What else can I do?"

Stock photo. Homeless people living in an underpass near Seoul Station. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Another homeless person near A was trying to sleep by curling up inside a sleeping bag. However, he was also not wearing a mask and his hand hygiene was poor. He soon emerged from the sleeping bag and disappeared into the crowd in the busy area.

As the risk of Wuhan pneumonia infection among homeless people increases, experts say that outreach programs protect the homeless. Outreach refers to welfare workers directly meeting homeless people on the streets to provide welfare services.

A representative from an organization helping homeless rehabilitation explained to Asia Economy over the phone, "Due to Wuhan pneumonia, masks and hand sanitizers are being provided to about 200 homeless people in facilities." He added, "We are also going out to the streets to distribute masks to homeless people."

However, even through outreach, homeless people in blind spots like A’s case remain neglected, increasing concerns about pneumonia infection. Some also point out the possibility of pneumonia spreading through these individuals.

A welfare project official emphasized, "Homeless people do not have fixed residences, and not only do they often not wear masks, but their hygiene may be poor, so their risk of infection is higher than that of the general public," adding, "Pneumonia prevention targeting them is urgently needed."