The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday called on the government to open COVID-19 vaccinations to all members of the public, issue cash subsidies and conduct general COVID-19 testing.
KMT Legislator Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) told a news conference in Taipei that the government should implement a general vaccination program, despite a scarcity of vaccine doses.
A batch of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines that arrived yesterday only contains 150,000 doses, which is not enough, she said, adding that the government’s messaging on vaccine purchases changes daily.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Nationalist Party
It is yet to be seen whether the US government would provide further doses, she added.
Cheng accused the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), which is headed by Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), of being politically motivated in its vaccine distribution, saying that New Taipei City, the nation’s hardest-hit municipality, has received fewer doses than Taipei or Kaohsiung.
“Chen should issue a statement and explain this decision to the people of New Taipei City,” Cheng said.
The government’s approach was overly bureaucratic, she said, adding that immediate reactions to local needs amid the pandemic was necessary.
The government should issue cash subsidies to Taiwanese, excluding wealthy citizens, Cheng said, adding that if the US, which has a far less extensive resident registration system than Taiwan, can pay subsidies to Americans, there is no reason the nation cannot.
KMT legislative caucus convener Alex Fai (費鴻泰) said that the CECC should stop holding daily news conferences, adding that the center only holds the briefings to laud its own achievements.
Chen is only paying “lip service to the people,” he said.
The news conferences do not address how many vaccine doses have been purchased, how many hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are being added or how fast COVID-19 tests are processed, Fai said.
The CECC has spent a week reporting backlogged COVID-19 cases, which symbolizes the center’s incompetency, he said, adding that the issue was due to a lack of communication between local and central governments, and a lack of personnel to handle the flow of information.
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