People have over the past few days been offering free drinks, snacks and meals to frontline medical personnel to express their gratitude for their hard work amid a surge in local COVID-19 infections.
Cardinal Tien Hospital department of public relations director Hsueh Kuei-wen (薛桂文) on Saturday thanked the public on behalf of the New Taipei City hospital, saying the medical personnel have been encouraged by the public support.
New Taipei City’s Yonghe District (永和) has been hit hard by the outbreak, but the hospital personnel have remained at their posts, Hsueh said.
Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP
It has been a challenge to set up screening stations in the hospital’s emergency room and hallways, as well as in local communities, in accordance with city government policies, but the hospital staff, bolstered by the public’s show of support and solidarity, would persevere, Hsueh said.
Among those who sought to encourage the medical personnel was local coffee shop owner Lin Chih-chieh (林郅潔), who has since Monday last week delivered 100 cups of coffee to the hospital daily.
The coffee shop had opened on May 10 and the outbreak has dealt a devastating blow to business, Lin said, but added that she has little to complain about, as she is not directly exposed to COVID-19, unlike frontline medical personnel.
Separately, Taiwanese companies have made donations to Taipei and New Taipei City governments as medical facilities there have borne the brunt of the outbreak.
The Lin Rong San Foundation of Culture and Social Welfare, Union Bank, the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) and Rong San Lin Enterprise Co have jointly donated NT$38 million (US$1.37 million) for pandemic relief, divided equally between the cities.
Wan Hai Lines Co donated NT$80 million to Taipei through the Social Welfare Department’s online platform (https://rmic.gov.taipei/Web/RSADM00001).
Hotai Group donated NT$12 million to New Taipei City and Pxmart Co donated NT$10 million through the city’s Web site (https://goodday.ntpc.gov.tw/pwntpc/).
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