Luohu handed out 300 yuan ($47.1) to each resident living in villages located in its downtown as a subsidy from March 14 to 20.

The district government spent a total of 60 million yuan on the project. It is estimated that 200,000 people have benefited from the move, about 17% of Luohu’s population.

People praised the move as the most direct and most popular form of assistance to the people in need of it.

The “urban villages” residents are mostly seasonal laborers living from hand to mouth on a daily basis, making them vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The heightening of the virus control measures cast a significant influence on their lives. The lockdown of their neighborhood means many have to live on their limited savings.

When the Luohu government makes its bailout policies for enterprises, businesses, and individuals, these migrant workers have always been a priority of policymakers.

Experts said that the subsidy represents the government’s thoughtfulness and Luohu’s inclusiveness. The assistance policies can help ease the pressure on the residents and, more importantly, consolidate their confidence that they are not alone in the face of temporary difficulties.