The government’s recent decision to reduce financial support for COVID-19 patients has drawn criticism from civic groups and medical experts, who expressed concerns that many cases could go undetected as people skip getting tested.
As Korea continues to grapple with a new wave of infections led by the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron, the country reported 73,582 new infections for Monday, the highest figure in 83 days, raising the aggregate total to 18,861,593. The number of critical patients stood at 91, with 12 new COVID-19-related deaths, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
With the recent introduction of the BA.2.75, also known as “Centaurus,” a new Omicron strain more contagious than its predecessors, health experts anticipate daily infections could reach 100,000 as early as next week.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Monday that financial support offered to COVID-19 patients, who are required to undergo one-week quarantine, will now be limited to households that earn less than the median income.
Since the early stages of the pandemic, the government has been giving out the so-called “self-isolation grants” to help virus carriers who are not able to attend work during their self-isolation period. Under the measures, anyone who could not get paid sick leave was eligible to apply for the grant, regardless of their income level.
However, the Ministry of Health and Welfare came up with plans late last month to limit the eligibility of the recipients, due, apparently to fiscal constraints caused by the prolonged pandemic.
In addition, since July 11, medical fees for patients undergoing home treatment are no longer free. Patients have to pay around 13,000 won for medical treatment and 6,000 won for medication.
The government has also reduced COVID-19-related grants to small and medium-sized companies that have guaranteed paid sick leave for their employees. The government used to pay 45,000 won per day, for a maximum of five days but will now only do so for companies that have 30 workers or less.
With the payment now limited to small companies with less than 30 employees, this has prompted concerns that workers may be forced to take unpaid leave if they test positive for COVID-19.
These reductions in economic support for people infected with COVID-19, which have so far, played an important role in helping citizens follow isolation requirements, have led to concerns that people who are financially insecure may be hesitant to get tested for the virus.
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a major liberal civic group, denounced the government for passing the financial burden onto the public.
“Despite the resurgence of infections, the government has shifted medical costs to the people by cutting down self-isolation grants, thus putting vulnerable groups at bigger risk (of infection),” it said in a statement, Monday.
“Many people who experience COVID-19 symptoms could now be reluctant to undergo testing out of fear that they may experience serious financial difficulties once they test positive. And this will lead to a faster spread of infections,” it added, calling the recent measures “unscientific.”
Chon Eun-mi, a respiratory disease specialist at Ewha Woman’s University Mokdong Hospital, felt that the government should reverse its decision.
“Mandatory self-isolation can come as a big financial burden, especially for self-employed individuals who have to close their business for seven days. Some of them may even refuse to get tested to avoid that,” she said. “The government should consider reversing its decision and offer grants to all patients, at least until the end of the current wave.”
