CECC advises canceling large holiday events
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) strongly advises event organizers to postpone or cancel large public events if they cannot strictly conduct a risk assessment and make a comprehensive plan for implementing disease prevention measures, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said yesterday.
As the Lunar New Year holiday is approaching and many celebrations are being prepared, the CECC must remind people to remain vigilant, said Chen, who heads the center.
“Mass gatherings are usually packed with large crowds for extended periods, and people can easily come into close contact with other people, so there is a high risk of disease transmission,” Chen said. “COVID-19 prevention would become highly difficult if a suspected case or a cluster of infections occurs at one of the events.”
‘Chaotic’ local meat ordinances voided
‘NO MORE MESS’: Minister Without Portfolio Lo Ping-cheng said that the nation must have unified food safety standards so that producers can comply with the regulations
By Lee Hsin-fang, Lo Chi and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporters, with staff writer
Local government ordinances banning meat products containing traces of ractopamine are nullified from today, while new rules are to be rejected, the Executive Yuan said yesterday, calling them unconstitutional and “chaotic.”
Since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 28 announced that the government would from today lift a ban on the importation of pork containing traces of ractopamine and beef from cattle more than 30 months old from the US, 17 local governments have passed autonomous ordinances requiring all pork to be certified as ractopamine-free.
AIT ire over Taichung public pork briefing
LACK OF RESPECT? AIT spokeswoman Amanda Mansour said US exports to Taiwan and other trade partners ‘are safe’ and meet the US’ high, evidence-based standards
By Lee Hsin-fang and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
An abrupt deviation by the Taichung City Government from arrangements made with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) demonstrated a lack of respect and could result in global mistrust of Taiwan, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said yesterday.
The Taichung City Government on Wednesday allegedly did not confer with AIT Director Brent Christensen before turning a closed-door meeting into a public briefing especially as it included a severe critique of US pork imports.