Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) yesterday refused to respond to criticism that her administration is taking the COVID-19 outbreak too lightly, after she organized a group of elementary and junior-high school principals to film a video outside Taichung City Hall on Monday.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) city councilors Chiu Su-chen (邱素貞) and Chiang Chao-kuo (江肇國) said that the gravity of the outbreak seemed to be lost on Lu.
More than 100 principals dressed as elementary students filmed a Children’s Day video, which showed Lu was making “child’s play” of the situation, they said.
Photo courtesy of Taichung City Councilor Chiang Chao-kuo
Asked about the video by reporters while inspecting quarantine and preventative health measures, Lu simply said: “Thank you, OK,” and walked away.
Lu also visited Situn District (西屯區) to talk to elderly people about the need for frequent hand washing and sanitizing, and the use of masks while outdoors.
She was approached by reporters again while she was putting sanitizer on the hands of residents, but she only nodded and refused to answer questions.
Taichung Information Bureau Director Huang Kuo-wei (黃國瑋) said a principal who worried that students would be disappointed by the cancelation of Children’s Day events next month had suggested making the video.
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