Gyeonggi Province Provides Emergency Air-Conditioned Sample Collection Booths and Containers

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] Gyeonggi Province is providing air-conditioned walk-through sample collection booths and rest areas to improve working conditions for health center screening clinic workers worn down by prolonged COVID-19 and continuing heat.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 12th, the province will utilize 2.9 billion won in disaster management funds to provide 33 walk-through sample collection booths to 17 health centers and 26 air-conditioned containers to 16 health centers. The province completed budget allocations ranging from 50 million won to 150 million won per health center on the 10th.
Walk-through sample collection booths are shaped like telephone booths where samples are collected from people who walk into screening clinics. They are equipped with microphones and speakers for infection control and sterilization equipment. Previously, sample collection was often conducted in tents set up inside health center screening clinics.
Air-conditioned containers will be utilized as rest spaces for screening clinic workers at health centers.

The province explained that this measure reflects Governor Lee Jae-myung's emphasis on ‘clear compensation for working civil servants.’ Governor Lee previously sent encouraging messages to all employees of Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center on the 11th who have been working on prolonged COVID-19 quarantine measures and implemented two days of special leave.
In his encouraging message, Governor Lee stated, “Thanks to the dedication and efforts of frontline medical personnel, the Republic of Korea and Gyeonggi Province have been able to effectively prevent COVID-19 spread so far,” and promised, “Going forward, Gyeonggi Province will carefully monitor to provide special compensation for your special sacrifices.”

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province conducted phone interviews from May 28 to June 2 with 453 non-regular employees of local health and medical institutions regarding work environment satisfaction and improvement measures.
Regarding work environment satisfaction, 32% expressed satisfaction and 30% expressed dissatisfaction. Employees identified the following as areas for improvement: ▲Staff shortages ▲Expansion of heating and cooling facilities and establishment of hygienic environments ▲Excessive workload and insufficient break time ▲Work system improvements (systematizing task division and producing unified guidelines) ▲Inadequate allowance payment ▲Work arrangements (improving treatment of non-regular workers) ▲Provision of supplies (necessary items, meals, snacks, etc.).
The province plans to notify all 31 cities and counties of the survey results and have them develop improvement measures.