Yes but no. You can’t enforce it in bars because you need to use your mouth to drink. Same as restaurants. These rules are bullshit. We have no virus in Taiwan, why do this?
Just to clarify, I’m also a mouth drinker, especially when it comes to beer. I’m not a fan of this rule but just wanted to see whether it was really the case - please don’t be angry at me.
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Insurance companies have repatriation flights in case of disease or accident, get insured and get a private flight.
That would make sense. Otherwise it just seems like a ‘thrown it in the air out of nowhere because Taiwanese folks worried on social media about increasing numbers ABROAD and pushed CDC to make something up thing’ kinda rule. Even when Minister Chen talked about this in the press release today he said because people were concerned about it.
Sure about this?
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Yes. Until we have a case of local transmission we have no COVID in Taiwan. That’s how it works.
Ah you meant “virus” didn’t you…
I’m not sure though if they will enforce it in small bars. These rules tend to target places with large numbers of patrons.
And restaurants are exempt…ffs.
I think that the CDC are just getting a bit worried about this 2nd/3rd wave that’s going around in many other countries, and the recent increase in positive tests from people (citizens and non citizens) who have recently arrived from a few countries. Everyone should be subject to the same rules regarding health status, no matter what passport they carry.
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Ha!
Today’s CDC Press Release (linked above by Andrew), English version:
On November 18, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that it would launch the Fall-winter COVID-19 Prevention Program on December 1 [2020] to enhance border quarantine control and to strengthen community prevention and medical response measures. The CECC urges the public and medical institutions to follow these measures. Program details are listed below.
A. Border quarantine: all travelers coming to Taiwan and transit passengers are required to provide a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued within three days prior to boarding the flight to Taiwan.
Starting from December 1, 2020, until February 28, 2021 (local time at the place of departure), travelers arriving at airports in Taiwan or transit passengers at airports in Taiwan, regardless of nationality (Taiwanese nationals or foreign nationals) or travel purpose (studies, work, diplomatic or official business, or others) are all required to present a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued within three days (working days) of boarding before they are allowed to board their flight to Taiwan. After travelers arrive in Taiwan, if following investigations find that travelers have provided a false or an incorrect test result or they refuse, evade or obstruct the related quarantine measures, such travelers may face a fine of between NT$10,000 to NT$150,000 according to Articles 58 and 69 of the Communicable Disease Control Act. Furthermore, the criminal liability of the Offenses of Forging Instruments or Seals may be imposed on such travelers for their act of providing a false or an incorrect test result.
The CECC stated that a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result must be issued by a medical institution deemed qualified by the local government in the traveler’s place of departure. In principle, such a certificate shall be written in English, Chinese, or both Chinese and English (bilingual version). Such a certificate shall include the following information: the name on the passport of the traveler, the date of birth or passport number of the traveler, specimen collection date and test report date, the virus name, testing method, and the result.
Related details and measures to comply with are listed below.
1. In situations where the traveler provides a French- or Spanish-language certificate, other than Chinese or English, of a negative COVID-19 test result, if the certificate is in the official language of the place of departure, and ground personnel of the airline is capable of assisting in the inspection of the content, the certificate may be accepted.
2. The three-day period of such a certificate means three working days and is counted from the test report date; therefore, national holidays in the country/region where the traveler takes the COVID-19 test may be excluded.
3. Such a certificate, whether it is the original copy, a photocopy, or an electronic file, can be accepted as long as the content and necessary fields on it are clear, identifiable and correct.
4. The testing method of a negative test result should be a nucleic acid test (such as PCR, RT-PCR, NAA, NAT or others); Immunoserologic testing, which detects the presence of any antigens (Ag) or antibodies (IgG or IgM) in blood, does not meet the requirements set forth in this program.
B. Community prevention: people must wear masks in eight types of public venues, and violators who refused to comply after being advised could be penalized according to laws.
From December 1, people must wear masks in the following eight types of public venues: healthcare facilities, public transportation, places of consumption, learning places, sports and exhibition venues, entertainment venues, religious and worship places, offices and business venues. Members of the public who do not wear a face mask as required and refuse to wear a mask after being advised to do so will be fined not less than NT$3,000 and no more than NT$15,000 according to Subparagraph 6, Paragraph 1, Article 37 of the Communicable Disease Control Act by the local government. If people need to dine at the above-mentioned public venues, as long as social distancing is maintained or partitions are installed inside those locations, people can take off their masks temporarily while eating.
In outdoor venues where large crowds gather or in public large-scale outdoor events, the proprietor or management unit of such venues are advised to manage and control crowds based on the total number of people at these venues.
C. Medical response: strengthen case reporting and specimen collection procedures, and formulate incentive indicators.
The CECC pointed out that it considered strengthening case reporting and specimen collection procedures to be an important prevention strategy under the Fall-winter COVID-19 Prevention Program and it has made four key measures. The four key measures are as follow: 1. healthcare facilities execute their duty of reporting cases of statutory notifiable disease; 2. draw up an indicator of incentives for case reporting and specimen collection, that is, strengthening screening for patients with pneumonia at the outpatient department and emergency department of hospitals in communities; 3. draw up the incentive indicator of strengthening screening for hospitalized patients; 4 draw up the incentive indicator of strengthening health monitoring for healthcare personnel.
Guy
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Meanwhile, two more imported cases were reported today—an Indonesian migrant worker, and a Taiwanese returning from the US:
Guy
Either the CDC knows or suspects something the fine posters here aren’t aware of or Taiwan is finally following the lead of the rest of the world and abandoning science and logic and deciding based on social media posts.
From December 1, people must wear masks in the following eight types of public venues: healthcare facilities, public transportation, places of consumption, learning places, sports and exhibition venues, entertainment venues, religious and worship places, offices and business venues.
Aren’t “places of consumption” restaurants and bars? If so, does this mean that they have to stop packing people in like sardines and go back to the way it was in March/April/May?
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Regarding restaurants and bars, a report posted today by Focus Taiwan states:
restaurants and bars will be exempt from the mandate, on the condition that social distancing is observed, the CECC said
Source: https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202011180014
Guy
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The K-Man has stepped up and provided a list of where the new mask rules (effective 1 December 2020) will apply:
1. Medical care facilities:
Hospitals, clinics, and other facilities where large numbers of patients are kept in tight quarters indoors.
2. Mass transit:
Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA), mass rapid transit (MRT), and other public transportation systems.
3. Personal consumption locations:
Malls, shopping centers, supermarkets, and other areas where consumers congregate, with the exception of restaurants.
4. Educational institutions:
Libraries, community colleges, training programs, and study centers, with the exception of K through 12 schools and cram schools.
5. Exhibitions and athletics:
Cinemas, stadiums, gymnasiums, activity centers, performance venues, art galleries, museums, indoor skating rinks, indoor swimming pools, amusement parks, and children’s playgrounds.
6. Entertainment and leisure venues:
Cruise ships, bars, karaoke bars, dance halls, night clubs, fitness centers, pool halls, bowling allies, and video game arcades.
7. Houses of worship:
Temples, churches, and funeral homes.
8. Public service centers:
Banks, insurance companies, credit cooperatives, and post offices.
Source: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4056612
Guy
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So that’s going to make swimming weird…
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So basically business as usual.
Dunno. The plastic dividers are coming up again…
At first I too thought the government should introduce “quarantine flights” to solve the issue, but then other than testing for high temperatures, crew would be solely reliant on passengers to notify them of potential symptoms. And who would willingly take a flight with only infected people if they could just keep mum and fly on a normal flight, then just say they started feeling sick on the flight or a few days into quarantine? People would cheat the system and would end up doing the same thing they do now.
Why are K through 12 schools and cram schools exempt? They are stacked with filthy little creatures who have only been taught by their parents to run their hands under a tap for a second after taking a crap, if that.
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