Indefinite Extension of Closure for Daycare Centers in Gwangju Area

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 31st that it will indefinitely extend the closure of daycare centers, which was originally scheduled until the 5th of next month, in accordance with the Ministry of Health and Welfare's policy.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare decided this considering the need for social distancing to protect the health of infants and toddlers and prevent COVID-19 infection, concerns about community spread due to infections in densely populated living environments, and the fact that daycare centers, unlike schools, cannot operate online due to the characteristics of infants and toddlers and play-centered childcare curricula.

The decision on whether to reopen in the future will be made by examining factors such as the level of confirmed cases, the possibility of controlling infections inside and outside daycare centers, and the utilization rate of emergency childcare (attendance rate).

Accordingly, the city plans to conduct emergency childcare with childcare teachers working normally during the closure period caused by the COVID-19 situation to ensure that childcare is not disrupted for families who find home care difficult, such as dual-income families.

Meanwhile, as the closure of daycare centers in the jurisdiction has been prolonged due to the COVID-19 situation, the utilization rate of emergency childcare continues to rise.

Therefore, the city will focus on guidance and inspection to ensure compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines, such as disinfection within daycare centers, adherence to personal hygiene, and mandatory temperature checks at least twice a day, and will strengthen publicity to ensure that children in emergency childcare can live in a safe environment.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the city will provide masks in kind (63,324 for children, 18,252 for teachers, totaling 81,576) for children enrolled in daycare centers and childcare staff in preparation for emergency childcare and future reopening.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare recognizes special cases by fully supporting childcare fees even if children are absent due to parents' infection concerns regardless of closure status, and supports labor costs based on the current number of staff even if the number temporarily decreases.

Families wishing to provide home care during the closure period can use the childcare expert dispatch service through the child care service.

If any inconvenience occurs, such as the non-implementation of emergency childcare, it can be reported to Gwangju City, the childcare-related departments of each autonomous district, or the daycare center inconvenience reporting center.