Taiwan takes measures after new coronavirus outbreak
But the Oxford vaccine s rare side effects, such as blood-clotting, have been cited as one of the reasons why many Taiwanese were hesitant about receiving the vaccine.
According to one opinion poll conducted by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy in April, only 29% of the respondents above the age of 20 were willing to take the AstraZeneca vaccine while 66% of the respondents said they weren t willing to take the vaccine.
Due to the limited number of shots available, Taiwan has also struggled to enhance its overall vaccination rate amid its worst community outbreak since the start of the pandemic last year.
Taiwan does not believe that China is sincere in offering it COVID-19 vaccines and thinks it is working to prevent the nation from getting shots for political reasons, officials briefed on the matter told reporters.
Taiwan and China have embarked on a war of words about vaccines, as the medical system in Taiwan faces pressure amid an outbreak with only about 1 percent of the population of more than 23 million vaccinated.
Taiwan says that China blocked it from getting vaccines produced by Germany’s BioNTech, while China says it is happy to send a supply of that vaccine via its Chinese sales
The Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI, 台灣機械公會) yesterday called on the government to help out with tax relief and other measures to cushion the impact of a surge in COVID-19 infections.
“If the COVID-19 crisis continues to worsen, the government must help our small and medium-sized businesses to survive,” TAMI chairman Larry Wei (魏燦文) said, while presenting a report to the government. “We hope for a stimulus plan, structured tax relief and a plan to help manufacturers continue to operate should the COVID-19 alert hit level 4.”
Taiwan on Wednesday last week imposed a level 3 alert for COVID-19, with
Delivery workers are essential for virus curbs
By Patrick
Su 蘇柏豪
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Sunday announced that effectively the next day, onsite dining would be banned at Taipei’s food and beverage establishments, and that only takeout or delivery would be allowed.
He also said that businesses would not be allowed to refuse to deliver to the city’s Wanhua District (萬華), calling for unity to overcome this difficult time and adding that residents there “are also our compatriots.”
However, to alleviate worries of delivery workers to drive to Wanhua, comprehensive COVID-19 prevention measures would be necessary.
The National Delivery Union Preparatory Office has issued two statements in the past few days, expressing the hope that the government will take the safety of delivery workers seriously and urging a ban on delivery workers entering hospitals, residential communities, office buildings, government buildings and schools.
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 401 new domestic cases of COVID-19, 13 deaths and 266 backlogged cases.
Of the newly confirmed local infections, 190 are male and 211 are female, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said at a daily briefing in Taipei.
They range in age from younger than five to older than 100, while the onset of their symptoms was between April 26 and Wednesday, he said.
New Taipei City had the most locally transmitted cases at 177, followed by Taipei with 130, Taoyuan with 18, Keelung with 15, Kaohsiung with 14,