The nation’s first large-scale emergency drill to test disease prevention and control measures for a possible community transmission of COVID-19 was yesterday held in Yangbei Community (央北社區) in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店).
New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) served as the drill commander, while Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) — who heads the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) — and CECC advisory specialist panel convener Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) attended the one-and-a-half-hour operation.
A total of 450 people, including city government officials, healthcare workers, military personnel and community volunteers, participated in the drill.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Four scenarios were simulated, with the first being “disease prevention promotion” before a community infection and the second being “some sporadic confirmed cases.”
The third was a “virus transmission in a single community” scenario, in which enhanced community entry-exit controls would be implemented, and the city’s Department of Social Welfare and Animal Protection Office would shelter young children or pets in controlled areas if their parents or owners are infected by the virus.
The fourth scenario was a “large-scale community spread” — defined as more than 3,000 confirmed cases — in which an advance command post would be set up in the community with the most severe outbreak, and a screening hospital would be designated to assess patients and treat them, while Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in Banciao District (板橋) would take in the most severe cases.
The city can hospitalize a maximum of 678 COVID-19 patients, but aims to expand its capacity to at least 1,000 beds, Hou said, adding that the city government has also chosen isolation centers that can quarantine up to 2,000 patients with mild symptoms if a large-scale community transmission occurs.
Medical personnel from 17 New Taipei City hospital branches attended the drill, and simulated assessing patients’ conditions and taking people who are under home quarantine to designated hospitals, as well as clearing out hospital beds in the New Taipei City Hospital’s Sanchong Branch and taking patients to other hospitals.
Military personnel simulated a large-scale disinfection scenario by spraying disinfectant in the streets and public spaces.
Hou said that if the COVID-19 situation gets worse, decisions such as whether commercial activity or schools should be suspended, or whether traffic controls should be implemented, would have to be made by the central government.
A joint drill, including the central government and four cities and counties in northern Taiwan, could be considered as a next step, he added.
Chen praised the drill as “very realistic” and a demonstration of “advance arrangement,” saying that if all local governments show the same preparation, the CECC would be more at ease.
The COVID-19 situation in Europe is worrying, because it shows how a little carelessness can cause the situation in a developed region to worsen rapidly, he said, adding that proactive measures between agencies are important, and that people should remain aware, but not panic.
US PUBLICATION: The results indicated a change in attitude after a 2023 survey showed 55 percent supported full-scale war to achieve unification, the report said More than half of Chinese were against the use of force to unify with Taiwan under any circumstances, a survey conducted by the Atlanta, Georgia-based Carter Center and Emory University found. The survey results, which were released on Wednesday in a report titled “Sovereignty, Security, & US-China Relations: Chinese Public Opinion,” showed that 55.1 percent of respondents agreed or somewhat agreed that “the Taiwan problem should not be resolved using force under any circumstances,” while 24.5 percent “strongly” or “somewhat” disagreed with the statement. The results indicated a change in attitude after a survey published in “Assessing Public Support for (Non)Peaceful Unification
The CIA has a message for Chinese government officials worried about their place in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) government: Come work with us. The agency released two Mandarin-language videos on social media on Thursday inviting disgruntled officials to contact the CIA. The recruitment videos posted on YouTube and X racked up more than 5 million views combined in their first day. The outreach comes as CIA Director John Ratcliffe has vowed to boost the agency’s use of intelligence from human sources and its focus on China, which has recently targeted US officials with its own espionage operations. The videos are “aimed at
‘MISGUIDED EDICT’: Two US representatives warned that Somalia’s passport move could result in severe retaliatory consequences and urged it to reverse its decision Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) has ordered that a special project be launched to counter China’s “legal warfare” distorting UN Resolution 2758, a foreign affairs official said yesterday. Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday cited UN Resolution 2758 and Mogadishu’s compliance with the “one China” principle as it banned people from entering or transiting in the African nation using Taiwanese passports or other Taiwanese travel documents. The International Air Transport Association’s system shows that Taiwanese passport holders cannot enter Somalia or transit there. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) protested the move and warned Taiwanese against traveling to Somalia or Somaliland
SECURITY: Grassroots civil servants would only need to disclose their travel, while those who have access to classified information would be subject to stricter regulations The government is considering requiring legislators and elected officials to obtain prior approval before traveling to China to prevent Chinese infiltration, an official familiar with national security said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) in March announced 17 measures to counter China’s growing infiltration efforts, including requiring all civil servants to make trips to China more transparent so they can be held publicly accountable. The official said that the government is considering amending the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) to require all civil servants to follow strict regulations before traveling to China.