People arriving from countries or areas for which the Central Epidemic Command Center has issued a level 3 “warning” travel advisory and found to have a temperature of at least 38°C would not be allowed to board the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System at the airport, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday.
The company, which operates the metropolitan railway system, said that it has deployed infrared thermometers at the 21 stations along the route.
People boarding the line from the airport’s terminal stations and found to have a temperature of 37.5°C or more would be asked to undergo a second measurement using an ear thermometer, the company said.
Photo: CNA
If the second measurement exceeds 38°C, station staff would ask the passenger about their travel history and inform Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officials if they are arriving from a country or area under a level 3 travel advisory, it said.
People arriving from countries or regions under a level 1 “watch” or level 2 “alert” travel advisory and found to have a temperature of 38°C or more in stations other than the airport terminals would be advised to arrange for someone to pick them up or take a taxi, the company said.
Should they insist on taking the airport MRT, they would be asked to wear a mask during the trip, and provide their name and contact information, it said, adding that they would also be given a self-health management card.
Separately yesterday, the company held a drill at the airport’s Terminal 1 to see whether MRT station personnel were familiar with the procedures to follow when infrared thermometers detect passengers with high temperatures.
They were also tested on their knowledge of how to respond to people entering the airport’s MRT stations without masks.
After watching the drill, Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) said that the Airport MRT System is the second line of defense after passengers pass through screening stations at the airport.
The company should quickly inform the CDC if it finds passengers with high body temperatures, he said, adding that passengers with a fever should consider using a designated disease prevention taxi or a car rental service instead.
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