A COVID-19 outbreak that started in May was unrelated to the relaxation of quarantine rules for aircrew members in April, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said yesterday.
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), which is headed by Chen, on April 15 allowed crew members on long-haul flights to isolate for just three days after their return. After testing negative for COVID-19, they were required to monitor their health for 11 days.
The relaxed rules, dubbed “three-plus-11,” have been criticized as many believe they led to the COVID-19 outbreak, prompting the CECC to imposed a nationwide level 3 pandemic alert from May 19 until July 27.
Photo courtesy of the Central Epidemic Command Center
Asked whether a planned resumption of quarantine-free travel between Taiwan and Palau might lead to another surge in infections, Chen on Thursday denied that the outbreak was related to the relaxed aircrew rules.
“There was no three-plus-11 loophole,” Chen said.
Cluster infections among China Airlines Ltd (中華航空) crew members and Novotel Taipei Taoyuan International Airport hotel employees did not spread to local communities, Chen said, adding that the cluster started with the infection of a China Airlines pilot who tested positive in Australia.
A version of the three-plus-11 policy without mandatory testing was in place last year, before being updated to a “seven-plus-seven” policy on Jan. 1, Chen said yesterday.
From March 12 to April 14, the center imposed a “five-plus-nine” policy, which was on April 15 updated to the three-plus-11 policy with additional measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 on planes, he said.
Since June 14, aircrew members returning from high-risk countries are required to quarantine for 14 days.
Chen said the adjustments were made according to the COVID-19 situations at the time.
A three-month investigation led by the CECC did not find a connection between the air crew cluster and the outbreak in May, he said.
Chen’s remarks were met with criticism online, with commenters urging him to take responsibility for Taiwan’s about 800 deaths due to COVID-19 since May.
In May, Chinese-language weekly magazine Mirror Media leaked a voice recording of an April 1 meeting about the the nation’s disease prevention measures in which Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) allegedly recommended the adoption of the three-plus-11 rule for aircrew members.
Yesterday, Fan said that she would cooperate should there be an investigation into the process that led to the relaxed rules.
Separately yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus convener Alex Fai (費鴻泰), caucus secretary-general Jessica Chen (陳玉珍) and caucus deputy secretary-general Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲) said that Chen’s refusal to acknowledge that the rule change led to the May outbreak was “beyond shameless.”
The KMT caucus said that it would take Chen to court and report him to the Control Yuan.
Additional reporting by Chen Yun and CNA
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). “China is strategically pushing forward to change the international order,” Lai said, adding that China established the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched the Belt and Road Initiative, and pushed for yuan internationalization, because it wants to replace the democratic rules-based international
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RELEASED: Ko emerged from a courthouse before about 700 supporters, describing his year in custody as a period of ‘suffering’ and vowed to ‘not surrender’ Former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was released on NT$70 million (US$2.29 million) bail yesterday, bringing an end to his year-long incommunicado detention as he awaits trial on corruption charges. Under the conditions set by the Taipei District Court on Friday, Ko must remain at a registered address, wear a GPS-enabled ankle monitor and is prohibited from leaving the country. He is also barred from contacting codefendants or witnesses. After Ko’s wife, Peggy Chen (陳佩琪), posted bail, Ko was transported from the Taipei Detention Center to the Taipei District Court at 12:20pm, where he was fitted with the tracking