Tue, Jun 15, 2021
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced revised quarantine measures for crew members of Taiwanese airlines returning from abroad. Starting from Saturday last week, crew members returning from long-haul flights to countries under a level 3 travel notice, and who have either not been vaccinated against COVID-19 or received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine less than two weeks earlier, are required to undergo five days of quarantine at home, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, told a news conference in Taipei. They would undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on the final day of quarantine, followed by nine days of enhanced self-health management, including rapid antigen screenings on days nine and 14, Chen said. Starting on July 1, such crew members would have to quarantine at home for seven days, with a PCR test performed on the final day, and practice enhanced self-health management for another seven days, with a rapid antigen screening on the 14th day, he said. Starting from Saturday last week, crew members returning from long-haul flights to countries under a level 3 travel notice, and who have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks earlier, but have not been fully vaccinated, are required to undergo three days of quarantine at home, at the end of which they would receive a PCR test, he said. That would be followed by 11 days of self-health management, including rapid antigen screenings on days nine and 14, he said. Starting on July 1, such crew members would be required to quarantine at home for five days, with a PCR test on the final day, after which they would practice nine days of enhanced self-health management, with rapid antigen screenings on the ninth and 14th days, he said. For those returning from long-haul
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was yesterday expected to disappoint many people across England by saying that restrictions on social contact would remain for a few more weeks because of rising infections due to the COVID-19 delta variant. The coronavirus variant first found in India is estimated by some to be at least 60 percent more contagious than the previous dominant strain. British scientists have urged the prime minister to err on the side of caution and postpone plans to lift most coronavirus restrictions in England on Monday next week. There is growing speculation that the rules would stay in effect until July 19. For businesses, particularly those in hospitality and entertainment, any delays to what has been dubbed by the British media as “Freedom Day” would be a massive disappointment. A delay would be a particularly bitter pill for nightclubs, as they have not been allowed to reopen since March last year. The expected delay would also impact how many fans are allowed into the Wimbledon tennis tournament, as well as European Championship soccer matches at Wembley Stadium, which are to host the tournament’s semi-finals and final. Many businesses, including many pubs and theaters, have remained closed, despite the recent easing in restrictions as the reduced capacities allowed have meant it has not been financially viable. “The reality is we have marched the troops up the hill,” said Howard Panter, 72, cofounder of theater operator Trafalgar Entertainment said. “Thousands of people have been mobilized in order to work in the theater industry, to start work from next Monday, and now we are being told, apparently: ‘Oh no, it’s not that date.’” When Johnson first outlined the government’s four-stage plan for lifting the lockdown in England in February, he earmarked next Monday as the earliest date by which restrictions on people gathering
NATO leaders were yesterday expected to agree that China presents a security risk, the first time that the traditionally Russia-focused military alliance would have asserted it needs to respond to Beijing’s growing power. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan promised ahead of the meeting in Brussels that US President Joe Biden was attending that China “will feature in the communique in a more robust way than we’ve ever seen before.” The senior White House official said NATO had a role in developing a shared military capability in response to China, “including in the nuclear sphere,” to engage in information sharing and act as a “forum for democratic values.” According to a copy of the alliance’s final summit statement seen by Reuters, NATO leaders would say that “China’s stated ambitions and assertive behavior present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security.” Biden wants to create international blocs of democratic nations to act as a counterweight to China’s authoritarian system and its fast-growing economic and military might, and the topic was also high on the agenda at the weekend’s G7 meeting. “There is a growing recognition over the last couple years that we have new challenges,” Biden said in brief remarks made shortly after his arrival. “We have Russia, which is acting in a way that is not consistent with what we had hoped, and we have China.” Other countries have highlighted the importance of striking a balance. “I think when it comes to China, I don’t think anybody around the table today wants to descend into a new cold war,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he arrived at the gathering. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said it was important to engage with Beijing “on issues like climate change, arms control,” but added that “China’s military buildup, growing influence and coercive
‘POLITICAL SHOW’: The Nobel laureate is accused of breaking COVID-19 rules, accepting bribes of cash and gold, and possessing walkie-talkies The trial of deposed Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi got under way yesterday, more than four months after a military coup, with junta witnesses testifying the Nobel laureate flouted COVID-19 restrictions and illegally imported walkie-talkies. Near daily protests have rocked Myanmar since the generals’ Feb. 1 putsch. A mass uprising has been met with a brutal military crackdown that has killed more than 850 civilians, a local monitoring group said. The junta has brought an eclectic raft of charges against Aung San Suu Kyi, including claims she accepted illegal payments of gold and breached a colonial-era secrecy law. The court yesterday heard a police force major testify that Aung San Suu Kyi broke COVID-19 restrictions during last year’s elections, which her National League for Democracy (NLD) party won in a landslide, her lawyer Min Min Soe said. Another police major testified on separate charges accusing her of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, she added. Aung San Suu Kyi “paid keen attention” throughout the hearing, another member of her legal team, Khin Maung Zaw, said in a statement. Journalists were barred from proceedings in the special court in the capital, Naypyidaw, but an Agence France-Presse reporter said there was a heavy police presence outside. Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers — who have struggled to gain access to their client — have said they expect the trial to wrap up by July 26. “I’m confident Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will overcome this trial,” Khin Maung Zaw said after the hearing. “And she seems quite determined to assert her rights, whatever the results.” A separate trial is scheduled to start today over sedition charges she faces alongside ousted Burmese president Win Myint and another senior NLD member. If convicted of all charges, Aung San Suu Kyi, 75, faces more than a decade in jail. “It is a show trial motivated only
PRIORITIZATION: The health minister said public health specialists recommended that infection risk be considered, while outlying islands have scarce medical resources The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said that cities and counties with a higher risk of COVID-19 infection would receive 5 or 10 percent more vaccine doses in the next distribution round. On Friday, 663,100 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, about half of the 1.24 million doses donated by Japan, were distributed to local governments. However, as the vast majority of cases confirmed since last month were reported in Taipei and New Taipei City, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) on Saturday asked why Kaohsiung seemingly received more doses than their two municipalities. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesperson, on Saturday evening said that about 10,100 of the 91,000 doses distributed to Kaohsiung were for the military, so New Taipei City received the most doses at 83,000. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, yesterday said that the number of doses distributed was calculated based on the same principle for each area. The doses covered 60 percent of people in the top three priority groups who have not been vaccinated, 60 percent (80 percent for outlying islands) of residential long-term care center workers and residents, 27 percent (90 percent for outlying islands) of senior residents who are 75 and older, and all people on dialysis, he said. As public health specialists have suggested that infection risk stratification should also be taken into consideration, the center would provide 10 percent more doses to high-risk areas — Taipei and New Taipei City — in the next distribution round, which is expected to be on Tuesday or Wednesday, Chen said. The center would also provide 5 percent more doses to medium-high risk areas, including Keelung, Taoyuan, Taichung, and Changhua and Miaoli counties, he said. An additional 2,000 doses
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 174 local COVID-19 infections and 26 deaths. As the daily case count yesterday was the lowest since a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert was issued on May 19, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said: “We are glad to see the case counts gradually falling, but we must remind everyone that they cannot relax yet.” The cases are 79 males and 95 females, from under the age of five to older than 90, he said, adding that they began experiencing symptoms from May 23 to Saturday. Chen said most of the infections were reported in New Taipei City, with 81 cases, followed by Taipei with 62, Taoyuan with 16, Keelung with seven, Changhua County with four, Hsinchu County with two, and Taichung and Hualien County with one case each. The center also reported 26 deaths due to COVID-19 — 15 men and 11 women who were aged from their 50s to older than 90. Twenty-one of them had underlying health conditions and the health histories of the remaining five are being investigated. Four of the fatalities tested positive in post-mortem examinations, CECC data showed. Asked about a doctor’s remark that people with COVID-19 might be at acute risk of death or sudden death not only from silent hypoxia, but also from pulmonary embolism, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy chief of the CECC’s medical response division, said that other countries have reported COVID-19 deaths with pulmonary embolism. Studies indicate lower rates of pulmonary embolism in Asian populations than among Caucasians, but there were a few cases among COVID-19 patients in Taiwan, he said, adding that the patients have almost recovered and are about to be discharged from hospital. They experienced difficulty breathing or low blood oxygen levels from
‘FOUR SEAS’ THEORY: Anything that transpires in the Taiwan Strait could send ripples throughout the region, affecting the global economy, an academic said The mention of the Taiwan Strait in a communique issued after a meeting of G7 leaders highlighted Taiwan’s growing strategic importance, due largely to its economic strength and location near important sea lanes, an academic said yesterday. Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑), an assistant professor in National Chung Cheng University’s Institute of Strategic and International Affairs, said the statement reflected “Taiwan’s importance to the whole world.” The communique was released on the last day of the meeting held from Friday to Sunday in Cornwall, England. “We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues,” it said. “We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and increase tensions.” It was the first time the annual leaders’ meeting of the world’s seven wealthiest liberal democracies included Taiwan Strait issues in its communique since the G7’s predecessor, the G6, was formed in 1975. Taiwan’s increasingly significant role in the region was largely due to its economic importance in semiconductor and silicon wafer supply chains, and its location near an important sea lane, Lin said. Under the so-called “interlinkage of four seas” theory, what happens in the Taiwan Strait could also affect the South China Sea, East China Sea and Yellow Sea, he said. Any change to the situation in the South China Sea, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula or Japan could have an impact on the global economy, particularly in an era of economic globalization, he added. “Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, no country would want instability in the Taiwan Strait,” he added. Chao Chun-shan (趙春山), an honorary professor in China studies at Tamkang University, addressed the “interlinkage of four seas” theory in an article published in 2018. He regarded the East China Sea, South China Sea, Yellow Sea
SEEKING A COMEBACK: The US hopes to rouse confidence among its allies, while leading a return to a rules-based order, an academic said A telephone call between top US and Chinese officials on Friday demonstrated that US policies on alliances with friendly nations and resistance toward China are likely to continue, China researchers said on Saturday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) held a phone call in which Blinken reiterated calls for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19, and expressed concern over the mass detention of Uighurs in Xinjiang and the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong. Yang lambasted the US for “fabricating and peddling absurd stories” about COVID-19 escaping from a virology lab in Wuhan, and said that Xinjiang and Hong Kong were internal Chinese issues. Wong Ming-hsien (翁明賢), a professor at Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, said that the US would continue to pursue a multilateral strategy to contain China. The US’ aim of reinforcing alliances in the Asia-Pacific region is in response to China’s competitive posturing, and part of the US’ preparations to improve its global competitiveness in a post-COVID-19 era, he said. “This multilateral strategy involving technology, military equipment and foreign affairs is slowly taking shape, and once the [COVID-19] pandemic is over, we will really see this US-China confrontation begin,” he said. Blinken also brought up the issue of Taiwan during the call, and reiterated that the US would attach importance to democratic alliances in its diplomatic relations, Wong said. National Chengchi University researcher Yen Chen-shen (嚴震生) said the US aims to return to being a global leader. It hopes to rouse confidence among allies through its Chinese containment strategy, he said, adding that the US’ China policy is unlikely to change soon. “The US wants a return to the rules-based order, and it wants to regain its leadership in that order. So this is why it is forming these
In a modest conference room near the edge of Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), Panu Kapamumu held up an unwieldy A3 booklet. The home-printed document contains every known word of Thao, the language of his Aboriginal community. Kapamumu ran his finger down the list, reading out a selection of Thao words, meanings and translations. He read slowly and purposefully, a man in his 60s, but still just a student of his mother tongue. “Pastay piakolingkin piakaimahan. Ito Thao Panu Kapamumu,” he said. It translates in English to: “Everyone is safe and doing well. I am of the Thao people, Panu Kapamumu.” Normally, Kapamumu speaks in a mix of the two languages he knows better than his own — Mandarin and English. “We believe in our ancestors’ spirits, so we treasure our own language and see it as more important than our own lives... We have a right to survive,” he said. Aboriginal communities are in a race against time to save their languages before they are lost forever. An estimated 35 percent of 400,000 Aborigines speak their native tongue fluently, but in some communities there are far fewer fluent speakers. The government formally recognizes 17 Aboriginal peoples who inhabited Taiwan for millennia before the arrival of Han people. The Thao, whose traditional lands surround Sun Moon Lake, are the smallest, with fewer than 800 members. Thao is in the Austronesian family of languages, which are spoken throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and much of the Pacific. It is among four of the 16 languages in Taiwan considered by UNESCO to be critically endangered. Under the authoritarian and assimilationist rule of Japan and then the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime, native languages were criminalized. The Thao’s losses extended to land, lives and culture. “With the Japanese, you can’t speak your language. The KMT, you can’t speak your language, there was punishment in
CLASSES HALTED: Cram schools have had to return tuition fees due to mandatory closures and might need to lay off half of their staff because of a lack of revenue The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the education sector, with some cram schools and tutoring centers saying they might soon be unable to pay their instructors due to the extension of a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert. The heightened alert level means schools must remain closed, so cram schools and tutoring centers have had to return tuition fees, one cram school said. June is normally the peak season for recruiting new students at cram schools and tutoring centers, but this year many such schools might need to lay off half of their staff due to a lack of revenue, some operators in the sector said, adding that schools have had to spend money on equipment to continue running some of their classes online. About 30 percent of the nation’s cram schools and tutoring centers would likely face closure if the level 3 alert is extended throughout the summer, they said. Taipei alone has 2,593 cram schools and 199 tutoring centers, city data show. The level 3 alert was imposed in Taipei and New Taipei City on May 15 and expanded nationwide four days later. It has been extended through June 28, while schools are to remain closed until July 2. “The private education sector has been hit worse by this outbreak than it ever has been before, and we still need to pay rent,” one tutoring center said, estimating that it would incur a total loss of NT$2 million (US$72,382) for last month and this month. “Things are a bit better for cram schools, because they can teach some classes online, but some families require tutors to assist their children in person, so about 20 to 30 percent of tuition fees have had to be returned,” it said. Some families have also seen their income affected by the pandemic,
Food delivery workers are in contact with many people on a daily basis, so they should be added to the COVID-19 vaccination priority list, the Consumers’ Foundation said yesterday. Ministry of Labor data from the end of last year showed that there were more than 88,000 people working in the food delivery sector, foundation chairman Terry Huang (黃怡騰) told an online news conference, adding that they handle about 40 transactions each on an average working day. “Therefore, estimates indicate that there are about 3.5 million interactions between them and customers. The [number of interactions with] possibility of infection comes to about 7 million, when taking into account contact between both sides,” he said. The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on May 19 issued a nationwide level 3 alert due to an increase in domestic COVID-19 cases. People have been urged to work from home if possible and avoid going out, while dining in at restaurants, coffee shops and food courts has been banned. This has led to a surge in demand for courier services and food deliveries, Huang said. “People are following the regulations to combat the domestic infection situation and staying indoors, while they rely on many things from these delivery workers, who are performing a vital service to millions of people during the outbreak,” foundation secretary-general Hsu Tse-yu (徐則鈺) said. Therefore, food delivery workers should be placed among vaccination priority groups, because the amount of contact they have with the public is no less than those in the CECC’s second and third priority groups, he said. The second group covers disease prevention workers and officials, including borough and village wardens, as they are tasked with delivering meals and vaccination information to elderly people and low-income households. The third group is defined as “people at higher risk of exposure to infection,” including airline crew members and staff
Entertainer Jia Yong-jie (賈永婕) yesterday continued distribution of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) machines, an oxygen supply system used in hospitals, after saying that she had raised enough money to buy 342 units. Deliveries began on Saturday, with the machines expected to help public hospitals the most as they generally have to go through time-consuming procurement procedures before acquiring such devices, Jia said. HFNC systems, which cost NT$270,000 per unit, are highly prized by hospitals, because they can be used instead of ventilators and even perform better, health workers said. The device allows awake prone positioning of people with breathing difficulties, and they can eat without assistance, reducing the chance of infections for carers. Tan Che-kim (陳志金), a doctor at Chi Mei Hospital’s intensive care unit, said that HFNC treatment can help avoid the need for intubation and improve a person’s survival rate. Jia said that she learned about the need for HFNC machines on Thursday from a relative of a medical worker, and was told there is high demand for the devices, even at National Taiwan University Hospital. Jia said she immediately contacted a manufacturer and together with her husband purchased 15 to donate to local hospitals. We are “racing against time under the current circumstances,” she said. Jia also encouraged her friends in business circles to work with her to raise funds, quickly raising enough to purchase an additional 237 machines. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Sunday night extended her “deepest gratitude” to all those who have donated medical equipment in the past few days. “HFNC and negative-pressure isolation chambers are important items needed by hospitals right now,” she wrote on Facebook. “The donations demonstrate the community’s support for medical workers and assist the government in improving medical capacity,” she said, adding that 200 of the 500 HFNC machines purchased by the Central Epidemic
Taichung, Kaohsiung and Chiayi County are to adopt a COVID-19 vaccine administration method invented in a town in Japan to make the inoculation process easier for elderly people, the local governments said. Under the method, dubbed the “Umi-machi style,” seniors who go to get their jabs at designated venues remain seated while a team of medical staff move from one person to another to administer their shots. Umi, a town in Fukuoka Prefecture, conceived of the idea by observing Toyota’s vehicle assembly lines, which are renowned for being efficient. Taichung, which has about 36,000 people older than 85, would try to vaccinate 120 people an hour over a three-day period beginning today. Vaccines would be offered at 64 venues across the city, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said. There was no indication how big each group would be or how long the vaccine recipients would have to sit, but officials said the method makes getting vaccinated much easier for people who have trouble moving around. Kaohsiung plans to administer the shots to its 31,000 residents aged 87 and older, also over a three-day period from today. The city said that it has already sent out notifications for people to arrive at their designated venues to be vaccinated. Senior residents who have not received the notification, who need help with transportation because of physical disabilities or whose household registration is not in Kaohsiung, should contact their local community office for assistance, it said. In Chiayi, which began administering COVID-19 vaccines to local medical staff and quarantine workers yesterday, said that jabs would be administered to people over the age of 85 from today through Thursday. Vaccination sites would be set up at elementary and secondary schools across the county, it said. Health authorities would make transportation arrangements for senior residents with disabilities, or have
A team of physicians and dentists in Hsinchu City have been hailed as an “exceptional example” for doctors to follow, after they collaborated on running a COVID-19 rapid testing station at the Hsinchu Science Park. After a cluster of COVID-19 infections was reported at King Yuan Electronics on June 2, Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅) voiced concern about the effect on production at the park. On June 4, the rapid testing station was established and started testing workers in the park the following day. Over the next five days, it tested 5,213 people. Hsinchu City Medical Association chairman Chiu Kuo-hua (邱國華) gathered more than 120 medical professionals, including 76 physicians, 43 dentists and seven traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, to operate the station. Chiu required all to have been vaccinated against the disease at least two weeks prior, and to undergo training in COVID-19 testing. Chen Chih-cheng (陳志成), who trained the team, said his goal was to prepare them to identify people with latent infections. Dentists were recruited because of their experience testing for the flu, and because SARS-CoV-2 is most highly concentrated in the nose and throat of an infected person, Chen said. “We taught the dentists what they needed to know about the structure of the nose and throat, and about collecting samples for COVID-19 tests,” he said. “After they did it a few times they were able to instruct other doctors.” Chiu recorded the training process he used for the dentists with the hope of it being used as training material for testing stations elsewhere in Taiwan. “Hopefully, dentists will be seen as a valuable resource in the fight against disease,” he said. Hsinchu City Dental Association chairman Lan Hung-wen (藍鴻文) said that Hsinchu’s dentists are known to have a good rapport with the city’s physicians, which is why they quickly volunteered to work at the
To ease the financial burden on people staying at home due to the level 3 COVID-19 alert, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers have asked state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) to postpone its summer electricity rate hike. The rate hike runs from June through September to encourage people to reduce use of electric appliances and air-conditioners during peak summer demand, but the public is facing a different situation this year, DPP caucus secretary-general Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) told an online news conference yesterday. “Right now, Taiwan is under level 3 alert restrictions. Most people are staying at home and so use of electricity will go up. We demand that Taipower not apply the usual higher rates for the summer months,” Lo said. “This should take effect starting this month,” he added. “We will also ask the Ministry of Economic Affairs to shelve the summer rate hike for June, as most people have been hurt economically under the level 3 measures. This policy could help ease expenditure for about 10 million households,” he said. Most households’ electricity bills increase 13 to 27 percent on average in summer, government data show. DPP lawmakers also asked the Executive Yuan and ministry to provide more relief for the agriculture, food, hospitality and service sectors, which have been hit hard by the outbreak. “This year many ... jobs were lost due to the surge in domestic infections and the imposed restrictions. More people are working part-time, under temporary contracts or other shortened work conditions. [They] are in need of economic relief,” DPP caucus deputy secretary-general Huang Shih-chieh (黃世杰) said.
TAKEOUT ONLY: Restaurant operators that rely heavily on the local market experienced steep drops in revenue, while companies with operations abroad fared better Revenue at restaurant chains last month shrank drastically as people stayed at home to avoid virus infection after the government on May 19 issued a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert. The dining sector in the first half of last month enjoyed high sales thanks to Mother’s Day celebrations, but suffered a sudden business freeze after the number of domestic infections escalated in the middle of the month. Hi-Lai Foods Co (漢來美食) — which operates Hi-Lai Vegetarian Restaurant (漢來蔬食), Cantonese Jade Garden Restaurant (翠園), buffet restaurant Harbour Restaurant (漢來海港) and luxury Chinese restaurant Celebrity Cuisine (名人坊) — reported revenue of NT$171 million (US$6.19 million) for last month, a slump of 20.39 percent from a year earlier. The restaurant chain said it has temporarily halted operations at some outlets and has been offering only takeout services at most of its properties to maintain some cash flow and keep workers on the payroll. Tofu Restaurant Co (豆府) — which owns Korean restaurant chains under the Dubu House Korea (涓豆腐), Hanok Tofu (北村豆腐家), Han Jeong Sig (韓姜熙小廚房) and Pho Tau Bay (越南飛機河粉) brands — posted sales of NT$79 million for last month, a 50.57 percent retreat from the same period last year, it said. Restaurants had since May last year been allowed to offer dine-in services as long as they maintained safe hygiene practices, including installing plastic screens between tables, to reduce infection risk. Tai Tong Food & Beverage Group (瓦城泰統集團), which operates six restaurant chains — Thai Town Cuisine (瓦城泰式料理), Very Thai Restaurant (非常泰), 1010 Hunan Cuisine (1010湘), Very Thai Noodles (大心新泰式麵食), Ten Ten Hunan Bistro (十食湘) and Shann Rice Bar (時時香) — reported a 24.5 percent decrease in revenue to NT$303 million last month. Tai Tong operates 129 stores in Taiwan and 11 in China, and overseas operations provided some buffer amid the harsh operating environment in Taiwan, it
FLEETS IDLED: An industry association called for tax breaks to help struggling car rental firms, some of which could go under if the government does not provide aid The nation’s car rental industry has experienced a steep drop in business as people cancel travel plans and stay at home following a surge in local COVID-19 infections last month. The slump in business is particularly damaging for some car rental firms and might push them into bankruptcy, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) reported yesterday, citing the Taipei Passenger Car Rental Association. The association has called on the government to suspend vehicle fuel tax and vehicle license tax this year to help car rental companies overcome the difficulties, the newspaper reported. The government last year halved the vehicle fuel and license taxes for car rental companies as part of its COVID-19 relief measures, the association said. However, despite the situation this year being more severe than last year, the government’s latest “Stimulus 4.0” COVID-19 relief package contains no measures for the industry, leaving companies in a more miserable state, the association added. Carplus Auto Leasing Corp (格上租車), a unit of Yulon Group (裕隆集團), has seen revenue from its short-term car rental and chauffeur service drop by nearly 70 percent, the Liberty Times reported. The company’s rental business has been in the red since May 15, when the level 3 COVID-19 alert was first issued in Taipei and New Taipei City, it said. Hotai Leasing Corp (和運租車), a subsidiary of Hotai Motor Co (和泰汽車), also experienced a collapse in rental bookings, the paper reported. Hotai Leasing, whose iRent mobile app allows customers to make reservations, collect and return rental cars at different locations any time, said more than 4,000 of its vehicles are in parking lots and roadside parking spaces, while about 2,000 vehicles have been left idle at its local outlets, as people avoid travel, the newspaper reported. The association urged the government to include the car rental business in its
The central bank is expected to leave its key interest rates unchanged at a quarterly meeting on Thursday, maintaining its loose liquidity policy amid economic uncertainty caused by an outbreak of domestic COVID-19 cases, Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute (元大寶華綜經院) president Liang Kuo-yuan (梁國源) said yesterday. While Taiwan’s economic outlook is good based on solid global demand, private consumption has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 situation, Liang said. Since domestic cases spiked in the middle of last month, Taiwan has implemented a level 3 alert, under which all entertainment venues are closed and on-site dining is prohibited. Taiwan’s economy appears “hot” in the area of exports, as the local manufacturing sector has remained largely unscathed by the outbreak, but domestic consumption has been “cold,” Liang said. Under such circumstances, the central bank would not be motivated to adjust its monetary policy, he said. The central bank in March left its key interest rates unchanged for a fourth straight quarter, keeping the discount rate at a historic low of 1.125 percent. However, Liang said that the bank might consider extending its financial relief package from last year for small and medium-sized enterprises, as they are seen as the backbone of the economy. The central bank is also likely to again raise its forecast for Taiwan’s economic growth this year, but not as much as the projection by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS), analysts said. The central bank upgraded its economic forecast in March, from 3.68 percent to 4.53 percent, while the DGBAS last week raised its projection from 4.64 percent to 5.46 percent, on an anticipated 15.44 percent annual increase in exports of merchandise and services. However, the DGBAS lowered its forecast for domestic private consumption by 0.99 percentage points to 2.75 percent, even though it expects the local COVID-19
Companies in local electronics supply chains, particularly those in the semiconductor industry, might feel relief because fewer King Yuan Electronics employees than expected tested positive for COVID-19 in the nation’s largest-scale PCR tests since the outbreak began. A mere four out of 5,000 local employees at King Yuan tested positive, much fewer than expected by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), the center’s medical response division deputy head Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Sunday. Wang was dispatched earlier this month to oversee and coordinate the tests and disease-control measures in Miaoli County after King Yuan reported COVID-19 cluster infections among migrant workers. The tests, completed in just two days, showed that collaboration between companies, hospitals and local governments effectively slowed down infections. The results not only mean that King Yuan, a chip testing and packaging service provider, will be able to resume full production soon, but also build confidence that the nation’s electronics and semiconductor companies in the Hsinchu Science Park might be spared from production disruptions. The temporary shutdown of King Yuan factories is unlikely to cripple the entire semiconductor supply chain, as the company only has a 3.7 percent market share, ranking as the world’s No. 8 chip tester and packager, according to market research firm TrendForce. However, worries have emerged about possible widespread COVID-19 infections in the science park and subsequent production disruptions after cases at King Yuan rapidly climbed to more than 265 people, mostly migrant production line workers at its Miaoli factories. Their concern is understandable, as some electronics companies share the same migrant labor agencies, and the virus could spread quickly in the crowded migrant worker dormitories. Local employees could be infected by close contact with the migrant workers as well. Other confirmed cases were reported in another cluster infection among migrant workers at GreaTek Electronics, also in Miaoli, and
US President Joe Biden has directed an intensive study of the origin of the coronavirus pandemic. In the process of that review, the intelligence community also should look at the larger question: Did China take advantage of the pandemic’s ravaging spread as a limited form of biological warfare against its perceived adversaries? The notion, as unthinkable as it might seem, is no longer as implausible or paranoid as it was earlier portrayed. Mounting questions and evidence have cast doubt on the likelihood that the deadly pathogen sprang naturally from an animal to human. Governments outside China are focusing attention on the possibility that the virus emerged from an accidental release at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. That should be only the beginning of the inquiry. New questions are being raised because of a history of lax security practices at the laboratory and new reports of illness among personnel there prior to reported official COVID-19 cases. But even an outbreak caused by animal-to-human transmission would not have precluded Beijing opportunistically allowing the pathogen to spread to the rest of the world. As author Gordon Chang (章家敦) put it: “China’s leader knew (or should have known) that the result of his actions would be the transmission of disease beyond his borders.” NOTABLE SERENDIPITY It was clear at the time that the virus’ arrival in late 2019 just happened to coincide with remarkable turnarounds in several adverse developments for the communist regime. The unprecedented trade war of former president Donald Trump’s administration had delivered a significant hit to China’s economy in 2019, and this was only the result of phase 1 of the confrontation. Trump reportedly planned a gradual escalation of trade pressure until China would be forced to make structural changes in its economic system. Those, in turn, could have resulted inevitably in
Can you imagine this: a gathering of more than 50,000 people amid the COVID-19 pandemic? This was the case at Bitcoin 2021, a conference that ended in Miami on June 5. Leaders from around the world should pay close attention to the development of cryptocurrency to avert a new class conflict. Digital currencies can be roughly divided into three categories: cryptocurrency, stablecoin and central bank digital currency. Among them, the most discussed and eye-catching is bitcoin, a type of cryptocurrency. In a speech in 2014, I talked about a Jan. 15, 2012, episode of the television series The Good Wife, called “Bitcoin for Dummies,” in which a group of lawyers discuss the legal nature of bitcoin, concluding that it is similar to a commodity. I said then that bitcoin is not a currency, let alone fiat money; it is at best a kind of investment tool. The enthusiasm for it can be maintained if buyers remain confident, but the craze could disappear like mist once that confidence collapses. The price of bitcoin has fluctuated greatly in the 12 years since its inception. It is not a unit of account or a store of value, but its market capitalization is about US$2 trillion, gradually entering the stage of maturation. When I talk with young people or those in the cryptocurrency community, I wonder how an asset without intrinsic value could be so popular. Younger people think they have no role in the financial game of the older generation; the distribution of wealth is uneven and the gap between rich and poor has widened. They yearn for a chance to lead the financial system and improve their lives. The digital divide provides this opportunity. Through this divide, they can eliminate the predecessors of the “Stone Age” and create a new paradise. It feels that a new
‘SPECIAL CORNER’: The Serb left the court after losing the first two sets to compose himself just as he had done in his wins over Lorenzo Musetti and Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic has set his sights on the “Golden Grand Slam” of all four majors and the Olympic title, saying: “Everything is possible.” The world No. 1 on Sunday captured a second French Open and 19th Grand Slam with a 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 win over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas. It allowed him to become the first man in the Open era, and only third in history, to claim all four Grand Slam titles on multiple occasions. Now he has targeted being the third man to complete a calendar Grand Slam after Don Budge in 1937, and Rod Laver in 1962 and 1969. On top of that, he also wants the Olympic gold medal to complete the “Golden Grand Slam.” “Everything is possible. Definitely in my case I can say that what I’ve been through in my career, in my life, this journey has been terrific so far,” Djokovic said. “I’ve achieved some things that a lot of people thought it would be not possible for me to achieve. So everything is possible, and I did put myself in a good position to go for the Golden Slam.” The “Golden Grand Slam” has never been achieved by a man, while in the women’s game, only Steffi Graf in 1988 has swept all four majors and Olympic gold in the same year. In Graf’s case, Olympic gold came in Seoul. For Djokovic, the opportunity comes in Tokyo next month. “Obviously, his goal and our goal is to win the Olympics, and then win the Grand Slam. That would be the absolutely top of this year, but it’s still far away from us,” Djokovic’s longtime coach Marian Vajda said. “We have to still focus on the next one, but overall he’s set up for this year. His priority is Wimbledon, Olympics and US Open.” Djokovic is already halfway to a calendar
Matilda Castren on Sunday became the first Finnish winner in LPGA Tour history in the LPGA Mediheal Championship, pulling away on the front nine at foggy Lake Merced and holding off Taiwan’s Min Lee by two strokes. “It’s a huge honor to be a winner as a rookie, and especially first one from Finland,” Castren said. “That’s a really big honor.” Two strokes behind Lee entering the final day, Castren birdied the first three holes, eagled the par-five fifth and birdied the par-five ninth for a front-nine 30. She followed with eight straight pars and holed a three-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18th for a seven-under 65. “It’s been a dream of mine to win since I was a little girl, and to see it happen and just to win, it’s such an amazing feeling,” Castren said. “There is nothing that compares to it. One of my thoughts was: ‘Well, I don’t have to go to Q-school [qualifying school] this fall.’” The 26-year-old won in her 15th career LPGA Tour start. She finished at 14-under 274 after tying for 30th last week in the US Women’s Open. “I was definitely nervous, so my mindset was just going in thinking one shot at a time, one hole at a time, and see what happens, and just trying to enjoy the day because it was my first time in the final group,” Castren said. “I thought it was great for experience no matter what happened. It just turned out I had a great day on the course and got the trophy.” Lee finished with a 69. She cut Castren’s lead to one with a birdie on the par-five 15th, but dropped a stroke with a two-putt bogey on the par-three 17th. “I think I’m playing good today,” Lee said. “Obviously, she played much better on the front, so
England on Sunday launched their bid for Euro 2020 glory with a 1-0 win over Croatia, as Denmark’s team doctor confirmed Christian Eriksen had suffered a cardiac arrest and was “gone” before being resuscitated. Raheem Sterling scored at a sun-baked Wembley Stadium in London as England won their opening game of a European Championships for the first time at the 10th attempt, but the action on the pitch was overshadowed by the fallout from the shocking events in Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium the previous day. Inter star Eriksen suddenly collapsed in the 43rd minute of Denmark’s Group B game against Finland, lying motionless as medics administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the crowd looked on aghast. The game was temporarily suspended awaiting updates on Eriksen’s health, but resumed later in the evening after reports filtered through that the player was in a stable condition and awake. It ended in a 1-0 win for debutants Finland. “He was gone, and we did cardiac resuscitation, and it was cardiac arrest,” Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen told a news conference on Sunday, adding that so far there was no explanation for what happened. “How close were we? I don’t know. We got him back after one defib [defibrillation], so that’s quite fast,” he said. Players in the Denmark team were given the option to continue the game or postpone the match, but head coach Kasper Hjulmand said he regretted the decision to carry on. “I honestly don’t think that we should have been on the pitch again,” Hjulmand said. Denmark forward Martin Braithwaite called the incident “one of the scariest moments of my life.” “I’m grateful that he’s stable and alive. Right now, that’s all that matters. Hope to see you soon my friend,” Braithwaite wrote on Twitter. Manchester City’s Sterling scored his first goal at a major tournament as England gained a measure of revenge
Chris Paul and Devin Booker on Sunday combined for 71 points as the Phoenix Suns completed a four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets to reach the NBA semi-finals for the first time in 11 years. Paul scored 37 points, while Booker finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds as the Suns beat the Nuggets 125-118 to capture the Western Conference second-round series 4-0. “I have been waiting for this for a very long time,” Booker said. “A lot people say I haven’t played meaningful basketball. This is my time to prove it.” The Suns used a balanced attack to overpower the Nuggets and NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, who was slapped with a flagrant foul and ejected from the game in the third quarter. Jokic finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. “They beat us. They whipped our butts,” Jokic said. “We have to hold our heads up. If someone beats you, accept it and try to get better. The whole season was great until [the] last four games.” The Suns next play either the Los Angeles Clippers or the Utah Jazz for a spot in the NBA Finals. “We showed what you can do when you come together as a team,” Paul said. Mikal Bridges scored 14 points, Deandre Ayton had 12 points and Jae Crowder had 10 rebounds for the Suns. Denver’s Will Barton had 25 points, Michael Porter scored 20, Monte Morris finished with 19 and Facu Campazzo 14 in the loss. Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks evened their Eastern Conference second-round series with a 107-96 rout of the Brooklyn Nets, who lost Kyrie Irving to an injury. Antetokounmpo delivered his best performance of the post-season, shooting 14 of 26 from the field and scoring 12 points in the third quarter for the Bucks, who have won
RAMPING UP: The number of weapons deployed with operational forces increased from 3,720 to 3,825, with about 2,000 ‘kept in a state of high operational alert’ As nuclear nations commit to renewing and sometimes expanding their arsenals, a decline in the number of weapons seen since the early 1990s seems to have stalled, with some signs of a numerical increase, researchers said yesterday. “The reduction of nuclear arsenals that we have gotten used to since the end of the Cold War appears to be leveling out,” said Hans Kristensen, associate senior fellow at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Nuclear Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-proliferation Programme. The number of nuclear weapons among the nine nuclear-armed states — the US, Russia, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea — totaled 13,080 at the start of this year, a slight decrease from 13,400 a year earlier, the institute estimated. However, that included retired warheads waiting to be dismantled and without them the combined military stockpile of nuclear arms rose from 9,380 to 9,620. Meanwhile, the number of nuclear weapons deployed with operational forces increased from 3,720 to 3,825, the report said. Of these, about 2,000 were “kept in a state of high operational alert,” meaning for launch in a matter of minutes. “We’re seeing very significant nuclear modernization programs all around the world and in all the nuclear weapons states,” Kristensen said. Nuclear states also seem to be raising “the importance they attribute to the nuclear weapons in their military strategies,” he said. This change can be observed in both Russia and the US, which together possess more than 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, Kristensen said, adding that it was too early to say if the administration of US President Joe Biden would deviate from the strategy of former US president Donald Trump. “I think that the Biden administration is signaling quite clearly that it is going to continue the overwhelming main thrust of the nuclear modernization program that was underway during the
Until recently, the location of executed Japanese prime minister Hideki Tojo’s remains was one of World War II’s biggest mysteries in the nation he once led. Now, a Japanese university professor has revealed declassified US military documents that appear to hold the answer. The documents show the cremated ashes of Tojo, one of the masterminds of the Pearl Harbor attack, were scattered from a US Army aircraft over the Pacific Ocean about 50km east of Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city. It was a tension-filled, highly secretive mission, with US officials taking extreme steps to keep Tojo’s remains, and those of six others executed with him, away from ultra-nationalists looking to glorify them as martyrs. The seven were hanged for war crimes just before Christmas 1948, three years after Japan’s defeat. The discovery brings partial closure to a painful chapter of Japanese history that still plays out today, as conservative Japanese politicians attempt to whitewash history, leading to friction with China and South Korea. After years spent verifying and checking details, and evaluating the significance of what he had found, Nihon University professor Hiroaki Takazawa released the clues to the remains’ location last week. He came across the declassified documents in 2018 at the US National Archives in Washington. It is believed to be the first time official documents showing the handling of the seven war criminals’ remains had been made public, according to the Japanese National Institute for Defense Studies and the Japan Center for Asian Historical Records. Hidetoshi Tojo, the former prime minister’s great-grandson, told The Associated Press that the absence of the remains has long been a humiliation for the bereaved families, but he is relieved that the information has come to light. “If his remains were at least scattered in Japanese territorial waters ... I think he was still somewhat fortunate,” Hidetoshi Tojo said. “I want to invite
Aupito William Sio recalled the terrifying day during his childhood when police officers holding German shepherd dogs turned up at his family home before dawn and shined flashlights into their faces while his father stood helpless. Now the New Zealand minister for Pacific peoples, Sio and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced that the government would formally apologize for an infamous part of the nation’s history known as the Dawn Raids. It is when Pacific Island people were targeted for deportation in the mid-1970s during aggressive home raids by authorities to find, convict and deport people overstaying their visa. The raids often took place very early in the morning or late at night. Sio became emotional as he and Ardern discussed the apology at a news conference. “We felt as a community that we were invited to come to New Zealand. We responded to the call to fill the labor workforce that was needed, in the same way we responded to the call for soldiers in 1914,” Sio said. However, the government then turned on the Pasifika community when it felt those workers were no longer needed, he said. Ardern said that at the time, people who did not look like white New Zealanders were told they should carry identification to prove they were citizens and were often randomly stopped in the street, or even at schools or churches. Pacific people were often dragged before the courts in their pajamas and without proper representation, she said. “Not only were they targeted, they were targeted using a process and a practice that was really dehumanizing, that really terrorized people in their homes,” Ardern said. “The raids, and what they represented, created deep wounds, and while we cannot change our history, we can acknowledge it and we can seek to right a wrong,” Ardern said. The formal apology is to be
Vaccines are the latest flashpoint inflaming cross-strait tensions between China and Taiwan, as the latter tries to fend off its worst coronavirus outbreak since the pandemic began with a mostly unvaccinated population and the former rails against outside assistance from Taipei’s allies. Global vaccination drives are widely seen as the only way out of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in Taiwan, just 3 percent of the population has received at least one dose. Now it is battling hundreds of cases a day and does not have enough vaccines for its 23.5 million people. Affected by global shortages, low initial orders and accusations of geopolitical interference, it has received only a few million doses, and international allies are stepping up to help. On 4 June, Japan sent a plane carrying 1.24 million AstraZeneca doses and days later a delegation of US senators flew to Taipei to announce a donation of 750,000 doses. Both countries cited their close friendship with Taiwan and noted, respectively, Taiwan’s assistance to Japan after the 2011 tsunami and to the US early in the pandemic. The donations were enthusiastically welcomed by Taipei, with huge messages of thanks projected on to buildings in the city. Beijing strongly objected. China’s foreign ministry suggested Japan was exploiting the pandemic “to put on political shows,” and accused the US of breaching the “one-China” principle, which asserts that Taiwan is a part of China. Both donations showed how much less Tokyo and Washington worry about aggravating Beijing, amid deteriorating relations. Drew Thompson, a former US defense department official responsible for managing bilateral relations with China and Taiwan, said it was probably a logistical coincidence that Japan’s vaccines arrived on the hypersensitive anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and that the US senators flew in on a military plane. But previous administrations in Tokyo and Washington might have ensured they
With a growing body of research backing the idea that gardening can have measurable benefits to both mental and physical health, barely a week goes by in the horticultural press without a story on the positive impact it can have. As a geeky scientist, however, I wanted to know what it is specifically about growing plants that has this effect — and if we can answer this question could we make gardening an even more effective therapeutic exercise? Put people on treadmills in front of screens projecting different views and those looking at green environments felt the exercise to be easier, had improved mood and better self-esteem than those without a view. However, when similar exercise experiments were run showing the same view either in black and white or with a red filter, they did not show the same benefits as those with the predominantly green view. In theory this could mean simply that growing more evergreen plants could help boost the therapeutic efficacy of gardening. Does it have to be plants at all? Could just painting fences green have this effect? Or — dare I say it — would plastic plants trigger a similar response? Well, research has shown that mindfulness exercises that focus one’s attention on the here and now and stop our minds wandering to the past or worrying about the future are an important therapeutic tool. Gardening is a classic example of such a mindfulness exercise, where you clear out extraneous thoughts and focus on what is in front of you, especially given the seasonal nature of gardening. In fact, many Eastern cultures that have a long tradition of mindfulness are fixated on the beauty of seasonal plants, such as cherry blossom, precisely because of their transience, not in spite of it. So fake plants and a green fence are
The outbreak of COVID-19 among the tech firms in Miaoli County — a complete failure by the brokers, firms and the local and central government, any one of whom could have taken action to prevent it — has triggered a serious outbreak of another endemic disease: racism towards migrant workers. The firms themselves led the way, sending around circulars that warned the workers that they would have to pay for their own COVID-19 care should they become infected. One circular I saw even said that workers who contract the virus will be liable for any harm they cause the firm. The Ministry of Labor has sternly warned that such moves are illegal. SLAVE LABOR This outcome was what many of us had feared when news of the initial cluster in Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華) broke: any excuse to place more restrictions on migrant workers. Because the underlying treatment of migrant workers is driven by the capitalist love of slave labor and the deep racism constructed and harnessed to serve that need, many of the firms and brokers instituted lockdowns more stringent than the Level 3 regulations called for. Because of their reflexive, abusive nature, these were often ill-considered and counterproductive. At one dorm I know of, which Apple Daily reported on, the workers had been restricted to washing clothes between 10am and 2pm, meaning that 30 to 40 people were crammed into the laundry at any moment during that time, a clear health risk. In another dorm the broker circulated rules forbidding anyone from leaving, saying that shopping could only be performed by designated shoppers. Most dorms have forbidden overnight stays (if they hadn’t already). Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who has done yeoman work in putting up with the silly questions from the media over the last few
Why don’t we make some egg fried rice? (2/5) 我們來做蛋炒飯好了！（二） A: If we’re going to make fried rice, should we cook some rice, which will be fresher? Then we won’t need to use the rice left over from yesterday. B: It’s better to use rice from the day before to make egg fried rice. It helps with the separation of the grains. If you use freshly cooked rice, the grains stick together. A: Oh, I see. So long as it all works out in the end. B: And there’s a bundle of green onions in the fridge. Could you fetch it, wash it and chop it up? A: Wow, this is Sansing green onion from Yilan, Taiwan’s most popular green onion. It looks so nice! A: 要做炒飯的話，我們要不要煮點飯，比較新鮮，就不用吃昨天剩下來的飯？ B: 用隔夜飯來炒飯才好！這樣才會粒粒分明。用剛煮好的飯炒，只會都黏在一起。 A: 喔，原來。那這樣我們算歪打正著。 B: 冰箱裡應該有一把蔥，你把它拿出來，洗一洗切成蔥花。 A: 哇，這是宜蘭三星蔥耶！台灣最有名的蔥果然好漂亮！ （Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱）
Stuck at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, why not relieve the stress with a spot of healthy dancing? Every day since May 31, the Xin-sheng dance and exercise club in Tainan County’s Madou City has been producing an instructional video on the theme of “fight the epidemic and dance your way to health” and posting it on YouTube, thereby doing its bit for the fight against the outbreak by simultaneously teaching the audience how to dance and promoting disease-control concepts. As well as giving a dance lesson, the first video in the “fight the epidemic and dance your way to health” series also reminded people to wash their hands frequently and wear a mask. The videos, each about five minutes long, are choreographed and demonstrated by instructor Hsu Ya-yun of the Xin Sheng Dai Dance Organization and post-produced by the organization’s leader Chen Chien-liang. The Xin Sheng Dai Dance Organization is a local performing group under the wing of Tainan’s Cultural Affairs Bureau and has long been involved in philanthropic activities. Chen, who came up with the idea of “fight the epidemic and dance your way to health,” says that the outbreak is so serious that it has filled the whole social atmosphere with fear and anxiety, especially now that the whole country is on level 3 alert and schools have stopped normal classes and changed to distance learning. The situation is making people feel uneasy, and if this continues, even if people do not catch the illness, they will still suffer physically and mentally. This is what inspired Chen to launch “fight the epidemic and dance your way to health.” Chen says that moving and grooving along with the music can soothe your mood, while working up a sweat can give you a physical and psychological boost. Given that people
A: Ah, I was going to make zongzi for this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, but I think I’m going to have to shelve those plans, because of the pandemic. B: Yeah, if you want to buy the ingredients and the bamboo leaves, you’ll need to go to a traditional wet market and risk the crowds. We should probably just do as we’ve been told and stay home. A: We have a bit of leftover rice in the fridge, and some dishes we didn’t finish from the last couple of days. Do we need to cook anything new today? B: Look, we also have a few eggs. Why don’t we make some egg fried rice? A: 唉，今年端午節本來想包粽子，因為疫情的關係只好放棄。 B: 對呀，要買各種餡料和粽葉，還得去傳統市場，群聚的風險太大了，我們還是乖乖待在家比較好。 A: 冰箱裡有一些剩飯，還有這兩天吃剩的菜，我們今天還要煮新的菜嗎？ B: 你看，這裡還有幾顆蛋，我們來做蛋炒飯好了！
| New Taipei City | 27-32 | 0% |  |
| Hsinchu County | 28-32 | 10% | |
| Hsinchu City | 28-32 | 10% | |
| Taipei City | 27-32 | 0% | |
| Miaoli County | 28-32 | 20% | |
| Taoyuan City | 27-32 | 0% | |
| Keelung City | 27-32 | 0% | |
| Yunlin County | 26-30 | 20% | |
| Taichung City | 27-32 | 20% | |
| Nantou County | 26-31 | 20% | |
| Changhua County | 27-31 | 30% |  |
| Chiayi County | 26-31 | 40% | |
| Chiayi City | 26-31 | 20% | |
| Tainan City | 28-31 | 70% | |
| Kaohsiung City | 28-31 | 70% | |
| Pingtung County | 26-31 | 60% | |
| Yilan County | 26-30 | 0% | |
| Hualien County | 27-30 | 0% | |
| Taitung County | 27-31 | 10% | |
| Kinmen County | 28-30 | 10% |  |
| Penghu County | 27-29 | 20% | |
| Lienchiang County | 26-28 | 0% | |
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