The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said that medical personnel are only banned from traveling to China, Hong Kong and Macau, after its announcement on Sunday that they would be banned from traveling abroad sparked complaints.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), head of the center, told a news conference on Sunday that all medical personnel would be banned from traveling abroad to ensure there is sufficient medical personnel in Taiwan in the fight against COVID-19.
The policy aims to prevent medical personnel from being placed under a mandatory 14-day home quarantine when they return home, he said, adding that they would need to gain approval if they need to travel abroad for special reasons.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
However, Department of Medical Affairs Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) yesterday said that the policy is mainly aimed at front-line medical personnel who are treating patients.
“They will be strictly banned from going to China, Hong Kong and Macau, and they should gain prior approval before traveling to countries for which the CECC has issued a level 1 or level 2 travel notice for COVID-19, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Italy and Iran,” he said.
Travel to other countries is allowed, he added.
Sunday’s announcement drew complaints from medical personnel, who questioned the legitimacy and applicability of the policy.
The National Taiwan University Hospital Union and the Taipei Doctors’ Union issued a joint statement saying that medical personnel might be willing to cooperate with the CECC’s orders, but the center should have discussed the issue with them first.
They urged the center to explain the details of the regulation and any supplementary measures, as well as provide complementary measures to compensate those who have already made travel plans for any ensuing losses.
“Medical personnel’s labor rights during the outbreak period cannot be protected only by saying: ‘Thank you for the hard work,’” the statement said. “We believe that the government does not want to treat medical personnel as tissue paper.”
The Chia-yi Christian Hospital Labor Union also issued a statement, saying that the CECC’s policy violates human rights by limiting medical workers’ freedom of movement, and listing seven suggestions and seven questions for the center.
Physicians are obliged to follow directions from competent authorities or command centers in the event of a natural disaster, political or military coup, or when epidemic prevention efforts are under way, Shih said, citing Article 24 of the Physicians Act (醫師法).
However, the policy is a general guideline and hopefully all medical personnel would cooperate to maintain sufficient medical capacity to fight a possible COVID-19 outbreak in the nation, he said.
Medical personnel who have gained approval to travel to countries with a level 1 or level 2 travel notice should practice self-health management after they return home, he added.
A meeting would be held with hospital managements to discuss the policy guidelines, including supplementary measures, the implementation period and compensation measures, Shih said.
Meanwhile, some physicians took to Facebook to voice their support for the policy, but some expressed doubts.
Chung Shan Medical University Hospital Pediatric Emergency department director Hsieh Tsung-hsueh (謝宗學) wrote that he understands the reasons behind the policy, but it was difficult to accept being treated as “strategic material.”
He asked why the government does not ban people from visiting China, Hong Kong, Macau or other areas affected by COVID-19, or ban mass gatherings, such as the upcoming Matsu pilgrimages, but bans medical personnel from traveling abroad.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
RSS