COMMUNITIES DELIVER FREE MASKS TO THE NEEDY

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It is naturally easier for people living near pharmacies and post offices to buy masks. The elderly and socially vulnerable population have a hard time purchasing masks. Now rural communities have started delivering free masks to the needy.

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​Village chiefs are gathered at community centers. After receiving a mask for every senior citizen older than 70 in their jurisdiction.

[Soundbite] KIM JI-AE(COMMUNITY CENTER EMPLOYEE) : "This is the list of people over 70 years of age and these are the masks."

They deliver the masks personally. Now some 11,500 senior citizens 70 or older in Goseong, Gyeongsangnam-do Province have each received a free mask. This is a precious gift for these elderly folks.

[Soundbite] LEE YEONG-NAM(RESIDENT) : "One mask lasts several days for me. It would have been hard for me to get there, riding a bicycle or a taxi."

School teachers put children's masks in envelopes. Each envelope contains two masks. These masks will be mailed to the homes of children who won't be coming to school until later this month.

[Soundbite] LEE MI-YEONG(GOSEONG OFFICE OF EDUCATION) : "To eliminate the risk of infection, we thought mailing the masks instead of having students or teachers come to collect them, was the best solution."

Government employees check lists to ensure that a household purchases only the permitted number of masks.

[Soundbite] HONG KANG-AH(CHANGNYEONG-GUN COUNTY) : "Changnyeong-gun County, the post office, and the Agricultural Co-op are working together so that all households can buy masks fairly."

Local governments are coming up with various ways to prevent confusion in purchasing masks and care for the young and elderly population.