Gangdong-gu Implements Quarantine Measures at Places Where Youth Gather, Including Academies, Private Institutes, and PC Rooms

Due to school closures for elementary, middle, and high schools, 1,438 academies, PC rooms, and other facilities are being thoroughly encouraged for disinfection... Gangdong-gu conducts extensive disinfection at about 1,026 frequently used facilities by residents

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) has undertaken thorough disinfection measures for facilities frequently used by youth, such as academies, PC rooms, and comic cafes, following the closure of elementary, middle, and high schools.

This is due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in facilities often visited by young people, as the start of the school year for elementary, middle, and high schools has recently been postponed.

The district plans to encourage self-disinfection in accordance with relevant laws for approximately 1,223 academies and tutoring centers and about 215 PC rooms identified within the area, provide disinfection equipment and supplies free of charge, and conduct disinfection upon request.

On the 4th, disinfection was first carried out at 16 academies supported by the 'Learning Sharing Project.'

To ensure comprehensive disinfection against COVID-19, the district is conducting large-scale disinfection at 1,026 locations, focusing on facilities frequently used and gathering residents and vulnerable groups, including daycare centers, local children's centers, senior citizen lounges, bus stops, welfare facilities, and traditional markets.

Additionally, extra disinfection will be conducted once during the first week (March 4-6) and once during the second week (March 11-13) at six traditional markets in the area?Dunchon Station, Amsa, Myeongil, Gildong, Seongnae, Gobundari?as well as at Cheonho Rodeo, Cheonho Tool Street, and the Jewelry Cooperative shopping district.

Earlier, February 25 was designated as 'Disinfection Day,' during which subway stations, bus stops, main streets, and side roads were disinfected simultaneously, and guidance was provided for voluntary disinfection inside commercial buildings and apartment complexes. On February 27, Gangdong-gu office staff and traditional market merchants also conducted extensive disinfection of sidewalks and multi-use facilities within the traditional markets.

Following the elevation of the infectious disease crisis level to 'alert' on January 28, the district established the Gangdong-gu Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters with the mayor as the head and has been monitoring disinfection status daily through emergency COVID-19 situation report meetings.

In response to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, the district has expanded its disinfection efforts beyond the health center-centered approach by mobilizing all available personnel to form the Gangdong-gu Disinfection Team for systematic and planned disinfection and prompt handling of complaints.

Confirmed patients' residences and their movement paths are disinfected by the health center's dedicated disinfection department, while multi-use facilities within Gangdong-gu are disinfected by professional disinfection companies and the Gangdong-gu Disinfection Team, establishing a dual system for disinfection activities.

Moreover, autonomous disinfection teams composed of residents at each Gangdong-gu community service center thoroughly sterilize senior citizen lounges, bus stops, and the interiors of community centers, contributing to the prevention of COVID-19 infection.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, "We will thoroughly disinfect frequently used facilities so that residents can use them with peace of mind amid COVID-19," and added, "We ask all residents to strictly follow infection prevention guidelines for the safety of everyone."