The Taipei City Government yesterday raised the alert level for COVID-19, with tighter disease prevention measures going into effect, after six locally transmitted cases with unknown infection sources were reported in New Taipei City and Yilan County.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that large outdoor events with more than 500 people and indoor events with more 100 people would be canceled.
Event organizers have to obtain approval if they want to push through with the event, but participants must wear a mask at all times, are banned from eating and drinking, and must practice social distancing, he said.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Eid al-Fitr celebrations scheduled for Sunday have been canceled, Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) said, adding that large-scale events at the Taipei Arena and Taipei Music Center would be postponed or canceled.
Movie theaters can allow only 100 viewers per screening and must arrange checkerboard seating, she said.
Public water fountains have been suspended, and the tightened rules for visiting patients or residents in healthcare facilities have been extended until June 8, she said.
Field trips and graduation trips are canceled, and graduation ceremonies must be held online, Ko said, adding that school campuses would be closed to the public starting today.
Public commuters must wear masks and are banned from eating or drinking during the entire journey, he said.
Restaurants and eateries must maintain social-distance seating or put partitions separating diners, he said.
The city’s meal sharing programs, educational courses and tours for senior residents will also be suspended starting today, he said.
The Taipei City Hospitals and the Department of Information and Tourism will assign vaccination sites for quarantine hotel employees to get vaccinated first, he said, adding that they will be exempt from registration fees.
As for the Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students exam, which is to take place this weekend, Ko said that precautionary and disease prevention measures would be announced this morning.
Ko said the police department would be asked to tighten inspections of the “eight major special establishment categories” — including karaoke bars, dance venues, massage parlors and hostess bars — to ensure contact information registration is carried out.
Observation and caution are needed over the next fews days to see how far the virus has spread from the cluster infection that started with a local airline and quarantine hotel, he said.
While the situation is unclear, the city government has to reduce all public events for now, he said.
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