People would be barred from boarding flights to the nation’s outlying islands if they show COVID-19 symptoms when they check in at the airport, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday.
Five airports on Taiwan proper in Taipei, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung that have regular flights to the outlying islands have been equipped with COVID-19 screening stations.
The measure has been introduced to curb the spread of the virus via air travel in light of the rising number of locally transmitted cases, the CECC said.
The new measures require people traveling to the outlying islands to sign a health
The local COVID-19 situation is at a critical threshold, but it can hopefully be brought under control in the next couple of weeks, the Central Epidemic Command Center said yesterday.
The center made the remarks after reporting 274 locally transmitted cases, 73 backlogged cases and 15 deaths.
Of the 274 local infections, 129 are male and 145 are female, from under the age of five to older than 90, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.
They began showing symptoms between April 29 and Sunday, he said.
Of the 73 backlogged cases, 36 are male and
COVID-19: KMT lawmaker urges probe into ‘vaccine meddling’
By Lin Liang-sheng and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) yesterday called for an investigation into allegations that the government blocked vaccine purchases from major manufacturers to prop up the stock price of Medigen Vaccine Biologics.
The Central Epidemic Command Center on Sunday evening said that the government has signed contracts with Medigen and United Biomedical to buy 5 million vaccine doses from each firm.
The vaccines developed by the two Taiwanese companies are still undergoing phase 2 clinical trials and the firms have announced plans to apply for emergency use authorization this month.
PROTECTING THE ISLANDS: People showing COVID-19 symptoms would be asked to undergo testing, and those who test positive would be placed in quarantineBy Shelley Shan and Cheng Wei-chi / Staff Reporters
SIX APPLICATIONS: Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung said the FDA received four applications and the CDC two, but none had the proper paperworkBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporter