I know the majority of foreigners already living in Taiwan support the border restrictions, and I respect those opinions and the reasons behind them. I just want to post this poll from a page me and my girlfriend are managing, concerning those who are not able to continue their lives as planned because of the border policies
The Facebook page behind this supports the safe reopening of the borders, and supports strict quarantine for everyone, which was proven to keep the virus out for more than a year
The incubation time of the virus is far longer than 48 hours, and fully vaccinated people can still carry and transmit the virus. (I’m not saying I approve of the extreme border closures, but if you’re asking the argument against what you’re proposing, that’s the argument.)
Yes and no. They were for old diseases better understood and with vaccines that have been long standing and studied far better. Such as TB, Hepatitis etc.
We understand a lot about Coronavirus right now. We know that it’s invisible for a while before presenting itself and it’s contagious through exhalation. We know that the vaccine makes significant dents in the harm Coronavirus gives. Hepatitis vaccine is barely 40 years old, we’re only knowing such a long term effects now. We don’t have 40 years to wait.
Its not about what i want to know. Its about mandates and rushed knee jerks. I remain as i stated above. But will add this with the mention of abeing against mandated vaccination, not anti vaccine.
There are two big differences between Taiwan and Singapore (I lived in both between last year and this year) when it comes to COVID.
Singapore has already reached a high vaccination rate and has more than enough supplies to complete the first round of 2 doses and probably even start accumulating for the third.
Since COVID exploded at the end of March last year, Singapore has never been completely COVID-free. Just ups and downs. The population, whose mentality is more pragmatic than the Taiwanese’s, is somehow ready for an endemic presence of the disease, as long as the country reopens. This is what I could hear from friends of different age groups.
Taiwan will only achieve Singapore’s vaccination rate by year end (hopefully). Moreover, the population was used to being COVID-free for over a year and is expecting the government to bring them back to that situation soon. This is only achievable by keeping strict quarantine rules for all arrivals (vaccinated or not) and (sadly because of the Pingtung chibais) in dedicated facilities and not at home.
I’m fed up and frustrated by this situation, so I wouldn’t say that I am a staunch supporter of hard quarantines. However, if the population wants zero (local) cases, that is the only way. And with the CCP raising the tone of their threats and the KMT getting pumped for next year’s elections, the last thing that we need is an unpopular government due to a new outbreak.
Having just gone through the airport I would like to point out also that the additional surge in travel with shorter quarantine is not possible to handle at the airport. If quarantine would shorten for example to 5 days I would guess travel would increase by three to five fold. The current system of quarantine could not handle this amount of people. Hence things would have to open up more at the airport also which will not work with the zero Covid practice.
Hence just shortening the quarantine is not an option right now. What is needed is a clear plan on when the society will open up and accept the endemic status of the virus. At that point the border can be relaxed way down with the understanding that there will be some leaks. I would like to see a clear statement that for example when reach 80% vaccination rate or where anybody who wants has the change to get vaccinated the society will open back up. My guess is this could happen maybe in December or January.
It would be important to start discussing about it now so the idea that the virus will be among us will be accepted by the people of Taiwan.
Bullshit. Four ARCs (two new and two renewals) and an APRC. Never once did they ask for any medical records from me, or even a health exam. The only things they ever asked about were work history and diplomas.
Renewals don’t ask for the health check so they don’t count. APRC only asks for it if you have left the country for more than three months during your time as an ARC holder.
I had to do it. Many of us have had to do it to get the ARC.
For people from some countries, the health check is even more extensive.
And we have no idea what long-term effects the vaccines have. We’ve already seen significantly more adverse reactions with these mooshu bat virus vaccines than with any other actually approved vaccine. VAERS had more reports from these vaccines in the first three months of this year than they had in the past twenty for all other vaccines combined, and that was while supplies were tiny and barely being rolled out.
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