There needs to be a probe into the decision to ease COVID-19 quarantine rules for flight crew, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said yesterday.
The Central Epidemic Command Center on April 14 announced that it was relaxing quarantine regulations for flight crew members of Taiwanese airlines returning to the nation after working long-haul flights abroad.
Starting from April 15, they were required to undergo three days of quarantine, at the end of which they would be tested for the virus, followed by 11 days of self-health management, the center said at the time.
Photo: CNA
The center has failed to clearly explain the process behind its decision to shorten the isolation period, Chiang told a weekly meeting of the KMT Central Standing Committee.
“It even claimed there were no meeting minutes, which is avoiding outside supervision,” he said.
“We ask that the control and judicial agencies pursue the truth,” he said, adding that the people who made the decision must take responsibility.
If administrative negligence is found, compensation should be paid for people who died after being infected with COVID-19, he said.
“Only in this way can a repeat of the same mistake truly be avoided,” he added.
Countries in Europe and the US have gradually begun to lift pandemic restrictions, and the EU is developing vaccine passports to reopen its borders, Chiang said.
“If [Taiwan] cannot acquire enough vaccines in time ... we might go from being a model student in disease prevention to becoming an isolated island,” he said.
Taiwan might even be “unable to stand on the starting line of post-pandemic global economic recovery,” he said, adding that this would had a severe effect on industrial development.
Over the past year, thanks to the efforts of the public, the domestic COVID-19 situation was well-managed and people were willing to wait for locally manufactured vaccines, he said.
However, with the spread of the local outbreak, demand for vaccines has been high and securing internationally approved doses has become a priority, he said.
In related news, the KMT said in a statement that it has collected 4,000 COVID-19 rapid testing kits and would be distributing them to the KMT-led governments of Penghu, Kinmen and Lienchiang counties.
As healthcare capacity on outlying islands is lower than on Taiwan proper, rapid testing should be done across the board to prevent people who have contracted the virus from entering, KMT Secretary-General Lee Chien-lung (李乾龍) said.
The KMT plans to purchase 40,000 medical goggles, 110,000 face shields, 12,000 protective gowns and 13,000 rapid testing kits to support COVID-19 prevention efforts by city and county governments, it said.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS