The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday opened an investigation into the Taipei-based Good Liver Clinic after allegations that it gave free COVID-19 vaccine shots to people not in groups eligible to receive them.
Prior to Wednesday, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) had only authorized three groups of people in Taipei to receive shots: The first priority group, composed of registered healthcare workers and other non-healthcare workers at healthcare facilities; the second priority group, composed of central and local government disease prevention personnel; and the third priority group, composed of frontline workers with high infection risk exposure, such as flight or ship crew members, and disease prevention taxi drivers.
However, a Good Liver Clinic branch was on Tuesday found to have a long line for vaccinations.
Photo: Chien Hui-ju, Taipei Times
Media reports said that 1,285 people received shots, even though most of them were ineligible, including electricians, plumbers and clinic volunteers, sparking controversy over whether people with privilege have greater vaccine access.
Some have speculated that the clinic had an “inside connection” to obtain “extra vaccines” because clinic director Sheu Jin-chuan (許金川) was a medical school professor when Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) took his training at National Taiwan University Hospital.
Yesterday, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) told a Cabinet meeting: “Vaccines are precious right now because of their limited supply, so administering them must follow the CECC’s rollout protocols. When people fail to comply and give shots to ineligible persons, an investigation will be conducted and those responsible will be punished for breaking the law.”
Prosecutors — armed with search warrants and in coordination with the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau, the Agency Against Corruption, and Taipei Police Department units — searched the clinic and offices of the Taipei Department of Health, taking with them documents for the investigation.
They questioned Sheu and other people embroiled in the case via videoconferencing.
The Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus questioned whether the city government had distributed vaccines based on privilege or favors to friends, and demanded that Ko verify on what basis the vaccines were distributed to the clinic.
“It is very unfair because many frontline medical personnel have not yet gotten vaccinated,” DPP Legislator Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said. “So far, the Taipei City Government has not clearly explained its disbursement procedure, and whether the vaccines were allotted to the clinic based only on privilege or special connections.”
Separately yesterday afternoon, members of the Taiwan Republic Office filed a complaint at the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, requesting that Ko’s “illegal activities” be investigated and accusing Ko of having a major role in deciding which clinics received vaccines.
Additional reporting by CNA
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost