Seoul City Provides Emergency Support of 45,000 Transparent Masks to Childcare Centers Reopening After Long Closure

4939 Daycare Centers' Infant Class Teachers 22,574 Receive 2 Transparent Masks Each
Supporting Infant Language Development and Emotional Interaction with Transparent Masks Showing Teachers' Facial Expressions and Mouth Movements

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is urgently providing 45,000 transparent masks to all daycare centers in Seoul to ensure thorough quarantine measures while restoring daily life in childcare settings, as daycare centers have lifted their long-term closures and resumed normal operations since October. Transparent masks allow the facial expressions and lip movements of childcare teachers to be visible.

On the 2nd, Seoul announced that it will provide targeted support for necessary items in childcare settings to address concerns and difficulties arising from the prolonged mask-wearing by childcare teachers, which may delay language development in infants during their growth period.

With the prolonged mask-wearing due to COVID-19 making it difficult for infants to see the facial expressions and lip movements of childcare teachers, concerns have been raised about potential delays in language development. In response, the city plans to promote language development and emotional bonding in young children by supporting transparent masks.

Seoul will provide two transparent masks each to 22,574 infant class childcare teachers at all 4,939 daycare centers in Seoul. These will be distributed through each autonomous district in December. By using city funds for bulk purchasing, the city was able to lower the purchase price and ensure equitable support across all districts.

Meanwhile, in the first half of this year (February to June), Seoul provided 2 billion KRW to 12 autonomous districts through a public contest to establish a quarantine safety net for daycare centers, supporting the purchase of thermal cameras, air sterilizers, and contactless thermometers. In the second half (August to September), 1.4 billion KRW was spent to provide 200 masks per childcare teacher.

Seoul plans to continue strengthening organic cooperation with autonomous districts and the Daycare Center Association to carefully monitor and support quarantine and the restoration of daily childcare activities.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women and Family Policy Office, said, “Transparent masks are being urgently provided to ensure that language development and emotional bonding in growing infants proceed without disruption. We will carefully address the difficulties faced in childcare settings by supporting transparent masks so that young children, the hope for the future, can receive quality childcare services even amid COVID-19, and we will promote this as an ongoing project without hesitation.”