A number of new measures are going into effect this month. Aside from publicly-funded influenza vaccines, which began being administered on Monday, as early as the middle of this month, people operating motor vehicles will be subject to fines of NT$3,000 if they are caught using cellphones or tablet computers while driving and NT$1,000 for using the devices while stopped at traffic lights.
The Department of Health (DOH) began offering publicly-funded influenza vaccines on Monday, primarily targeting infants six months or younger, elementary-school-aged children, elderly people 65 or older, people living in nursing homes, people with verifiably serious illnesses or rare diseases, people working in the medical profession, those working with poultry, or children in the fifth and sixth grades, the last of which was added this year.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) under the DOH says that if there is enough of the vaccine left at the end of the year, it will be offering vaccines to people 50 to 64 years old who have Type 2 diabetes, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease or chronic pulmonary disease.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者劉信德
As for transportation regulations, aside from not being allowed to use cellphones or tablet computers while operating a motor vehicle, the legislature also passed new legislation for driving under the influence, which says if there is a child 12 years of age or younger involved in a car accident due to drunk driving, besides fining the driver NT$15,000 to NT$60,000, their license will also be revoked for two years. If anyone is seriously injured or dies in an alcohol-related accident, the operator’s driver’s license will be terminated for life and they will never be allowed to retake the driver’s license test. The fine for illegally crossing a railroad crossing has also been increased from the current fine of between NT$6,000 and NT$12,000 to between NT$15,000 and NT$60,000, which will go into effect as early as the middle of the month.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
十月有多項新制將陸續上路，除了週一展開的公費流感疫苗接種，最快十月中旬，汽車、機車駕駛行車期間使用手機或平版電腦，將各開罰三千、一千元，紅燈停車期間也比照辦理。
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者劉信德
衛生署週一開始提供公費流感疫苗接種，施打對象包括六個月以上嬰幼兒、國小學童、年滿六十五歲的長輩、住在安養養護機構者、重大傷病證明或罕見疾病患者、從事醫事及衛生防疫工作、禽畜養殖相關工作者，以及今年新增的小五、小六學童。
衛生署疾病管制局表示，年底疫苗如果還有結餘，將開放候補對象接種，包括五十至六十四歲具第二型糖尿病、慢性肝炎或肝硬化、心血管疾病及慢性肺疾病等患者。
交通新制方面，除了「低頭族」駕駛不得在行駛期間使用手機或平版電腦，立法院日前通過「道路交通管理處罰條例」修正案增訂，對酒駕也新增規定，只要是酒駕且車上搭載十二歲以下兒童肇事致人受傷，除了罰一萬五千至六萬元罰款，還將吊扣駕照兩年；若是致人重傷或死亡者，將吊銷駕照且終身不得再考照。此外，現行闖平交道者罰六千至一萬兩千元，最快十月中旬起也將提高為一萬五千至六萬元。
（自由時報記者胡清暉、黃以敬、蔡偉祺）
“Beep—beep—beep.” Your phone roars in the dead of night and wakes you up. Adrenaline surges as a low rumble shakes the pictures on the nightstand. Panic threatens, but you remember the earthquake drill you practiced. You drop to the ground, take cover under your desk, and hold on tight. Though the shaking intensifies, relief washes over you because you knew it was coming thanks to the warning. How do we get these precious seconds before an earthquake hits? Enter earthquake early warning systems, life-saving tools that provide a crucial head start for taking cover or evacuating. Operating through a network of
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