Nantong development area assists locals during outbreak

The Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area, or NETDA – located in East China's Jiangsu province – recently launched a raft of measures to assist local residents to overcome various difficulties during the current COVID-19 outbreak.

The measures are as follows:

I. Kits containing epidemic prevention materials and daily necessities are to be distributed to low-income families in quarantined and controlled areas in the NETDA.

II. A certain proportion of the medical expenses of people with special difficulties in NETDA's quarantined and controlled areas are to be provided with charitable medical assistance.

III. The NETDA will provide affordable supplies of daily necessities to residents in quarantined and controlled areas. For low-income residents in these areas, daily necessities such as fresh vegetables, fruit, rice and oil are to be provided free of charge.

IV. A one-time temporary relief fund of 200 yuan ($31.42) will be issued to families with financial difficulties in the NETDA.

V. The NETDA is providing temporary public welfare jobs – such as epidemic monitoring, personnel screening, materials distribution and cleaning and disinfection – to people with employment difficulties and veterans. This is in a bid to strengthen the frontline epidemic prevention force and provide necessary services to residents in quarantined and controlled areas.

VI. Units of young people in the local government departments are being organized to deliver medicine and other necessary materials to residents in quarantined and controlled areas in the NETDA. 

VII. A telephone hotline service for psychological assistance has been opened for residents in quarantined and controlled areas of the NETDA. 

VIII. The NETDA has established lines of communication between the community and medical institutions. This will open up channels for emergency medical treatment and focus on meeting the essential medical needs of patients with acute and severe conditions. It will also help pregnant women, children and those need hemodialysis, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other special treatments in quarantined and controlled areas.