The Indonesian representative office in Taipei on Thursday said that it is providing about 2,400 masks for Indonesian students and undocumented migrant workers in Taiwan in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Of that number, 1,500 have been given to the Indonesian Students Association for distribution to students for free, the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO) in Taipei said.
Another 900 masks are to be placed in three shops in Hsinchu and Taichung cities for supply to undocumented Indonesian workers, also for free, the office said.
This is to help provide some protection to Indonesian workers who do not have a valid National Health Insurance (NHI) card, which is required to buy masks in Taiwan, IETO official Eva Odameng said.
“We are supplying the masks because there are many Indonesian caregivers going in and out of hospitals, and we do not know if their employers are providing them with masks,” Odameng said.
She said the 2,400 masks, which arrived in Taiwan last week, were donated by Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure.
Indonesian Students Association president Adi Kusmayadi said that the masks would be distributed first to new Indonesian students who have not yet qualified to receive NHI cards.
“We are concerned about the coronavirus, especially as we have learned that the latest case is an Indonesian,” said Kusmayadi, a doctoral student at Tunghai University in Taichung. “We want to make sure our students have masks to protect themselves.”
Kusmayadi was referring to the case of an undocumented Indonesian woman, who was hired to care for an elderly man in hospital and was on Wednesday confirmed to have contracted the virus, a few days after the man tested positive.
There are 14,489 Indonesian students and 23,474 undocumented Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan, according to the IETO and National Immigration Agency respectively.
Odameng said the main reasons why some Indonesian migrant workers abscond are problems with their brokers or employers, including high broker fees.
“We would like to establish contact with these undocumented workers and encourage them to go home to their families in Indonesia,” Odameng said. “Their situation in Taiwan has become even more critical, because they do not have National Health Insurance coverage.”
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS