Free rapid COVID-19 tests are to be available at all contracted pharmacies nationwide from Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Monday.
To make use of existing stock and protect vulnerable populations, all 4,500 pharmacies contracted with the National Health Insurance Administration are to provide rapid testing kits free of charge, the CDC said.
The pharmacies are to receive stock on Tuesday, to be available starting from Wednesday, it said.
Photo: Taipei Times
The most recent wave of COVID-19 infections has already passed, but there are still about 200 complications related to the disease reported every week, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said.
A total of 10 million testing kits would be supplied, the same as the previous round of tests made available to travelers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and other ports of entry, Tseng said.
The tests expire at the end of the year at the latest, she added.
Tseng also advised the public not to stockpile tests, and to take an at-home test if presenting respiratory symptoms.
‘OBNOXIOUS MAN’: The KMT’s Chen Ching-hui moved into Chung Chia-pin’s path atop the podium and reached for him before he grabbed at her legs with both hands Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) yesterday said he slipped and lost his balance, and did not know who was around him, after jumping onto the speaker’s podium at the legislature in Taipei. He apologized after a collision with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Ching-hui (陳菁徽), who moved to intercept him as he mounted the podium. There was pushing and shoving when the session started in the morning as KMT lawmakers attempted to block access to the podium to shield Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) so he could preside over the session. Video footage showed Chung step on a chair and
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