[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 21st that it has decided to close 1,122 daycare centers in the area until March 1st following the confirmation of 3 additional COVID-19 cases.
Gwangju made this decision through consultations with the Daycare Center Association and local districts to alleviate parents' concerns and minimize community infections amid the nationwide rapid increase in confirmed cases.
Daycare centers in the area are currently experiencing a drop in attendance rates to 40-50% due to heightened parental anxiety, as the confirmed patients have diverse movement paths and it is difficult to identify contacts.
Regarding the daycare closures, childcare teachers will implement a duty system to ensure that child care is not disrupted, especially for families where both parents work and home care is difficult.
During the closure period, daycare centers will conduct their own disinfection, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare along with Gwangju City will invest 200 million KRW to provide disinfectant supplies such as hand sanitizers and masks to the daycare centers.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare will also recognize attendance and fully support childcare fees even if children are absent due to parents' infection concerns, regardless of whether the daycare centers are closed, and will provide labor cost support based on enrollment numbers even if there is a temporary decrease in the number of children, granting special exceptions.
Meanwhile, along with the daycare closures, 310 local children's centers will also be closed until March 1st. The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education has decided to completely suspend educational activities until March 1st for 290 kindergartens and all elementary, middle, and high schools.
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