Three large events that were scheduled to be held at the Taipei Arena this month have been canceled and one might be postponed amid efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) said yesterday.
Huang made the announcement after hosting a COVID-19 response meeting at Taipei City Hall.
Three commercial performances have been canceled and the fate of a performance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma (馬友友) is being discussed, she said.
However, two charity basketball games would be held according to schedule, with fewer than 100 attendees per game, she added.
The schedules of commercial events planned for next month are being negotiated, as event organizers are facing a dilemma, she said, adding that the Taipei City Government has suggested canceling or postponing all large events, but if the organizers decide to hold them, they would have to submit their disease-prevention operational plans, such as placing audience seats farther apart.
City hall on Monday started implementing access control and mandatory body temperature measurement policies, and all city government buildings would follow suit, Huang said.
Meanwhile, the Taipei City Animal Protection Office said that while there is no evidence of pets or livestock transmitting COVID-19, it still suggests that pet owners who are under mandatory home quarantine keep their animals at home and disinfect their living environment daily.
The office has set up a temporary shelter for pets whose owners have been placed under quarantine at a hospital or centralized quarantine station and have no one to take care of their animals, it said.
The shelter costs NT$200 per day, with a total maximum price of NT$3,000, but pet owners would need to pay extra if the animals need medical care, it added.
Separately yesterday, six Taipei City councilors said that they would temporarily stop attending gatherings in their electoral districts, in line with the Central Epidemic Command Center’s advice, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
They are New Power Party city councilors Lin Liang-chun (林亮君) and Huang Yu-fen (黃郁芬), Social Democratic Party city Councilor Miao Po-ya (苗博雅), and Democratic Progressive Party city councilors Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑), Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) and Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華).
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