No special arrangements needed at polling stations for patients fresh out of isolation

No special arrangements needed at polling stations for patients fresh out of isolation

2022-11-03

The CECC on Thursday answered questions about plans to reduce isolation for COVID patients to five days starting Nov. 14. The CECC says that although about half of COVID patients still test positive on rapid tests after five days of isolation, they are generally less infectious than right after contracting the disease. Patients who complete the five days of isolation can go out and lead a normal life, and vote in the local elections on Nov. 26. The CECC adds there are no plans to further relax isolation rules for the time being.

Starting Nov. 14, COVID patients who’ve completed five days of isolation will be able to go out and vote in the local elections. The CECC says there is no need for special arrangements at polling stations.

Chuang Jen-hsing
CECC spokesperson
Most polling stations are outside, or in well ventilated places. You can just vote in an orderly manner. If you know you are still positive, try not to get too close to people aged 65 and up or young children.

The CECC estimates that after five days of isolation, 40% to 50% of patients will still be positive on rapid tests, but won’t be too infectious.

Philip Lo
CECC medical response division
In comparison with the previous five days, their viral loads will be lower, so they should be less infectious.

Huang Li-min
Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan
It adds a little risk. But this way, you can release many workers. In terms of pros and cons, it seems that there’s more good than bad.

Experts say there are no plans to further reduce isolation to three days.

Huang Li-min
Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan
Flu season is coming up. Will the isolation period be further reduced? I think we have to look at any developments in the pandemic. Over the short term, I don’t think it is likely that isolation periods will be further reduced to three days.

Chuang Jen-hsiang
CECC spokesperson
After three days, the vast majority of patients are still positive, and they are in a state in which they are still quite infectious. So for now, we are not considering anything like that.

Taiwan reported 29,922 local COVID cases on Thursday, down 16% from last week.

"確診者5+0"11/14上路!解隔後篩陽也能投票

2022-11-03

5+0方案11/14上路！面對仍有民眾擔憂變異株威脅，指揮中心羅一鈞今天表示，確診5天解隔的確仍有4-5成有傳播力，但推估傳染力已經比5天內低。另外出關後，即使快篩陽都能投票。莊人祥強調，盡量不要接觸65歲以上或是幼兒。

11/14開始，確診者只要隔離5天，出關即便快篩陽也能投票，也不需要另外安排動線，投其它票匭。

[[疫情指揮中心發言人莊人祥]]
“大部分(投票所)都還是在外面通風良好的部分，只要維持秩序去投票，如果你知道你是快篩陽的話，這個部分盡量不要去接觸65歲以上或是幼兒的部分”

指揮中心分析，染疫者5天出關的話，有4到5成會快篩陽，不過傳播力已經下降。

[[疫情指揮中心醫療應變組副組長羅一鈞]]
“相較於五天內的病毒量，一般都是還是已經是下降，所以推估傳染力應該是，已經比五天內來的低”

[[感染症醫學會名譽理事長黃立民]]
“會增加一點點風險，不過你可以釋放出很多自由的人力，利害相權，看起來，好處可能比壞處多一點”

5+0是往與病毒再進一步，但有沒有可能再開放到3+0。

[[感染症醫學會名譽理事長黃立民]]
“再來是流感季，所以這個時候會不會再縮呢，我想一定要看疫情的演變，短期內要再縮成三天，機會並不是那麼大”

[[疫情指揮中心發言人莊人祥]]
“三天的部分，絕大部分，很多大概都是陽性，而且是屬於比較有可能會具有傳播力的，所以這個部分，我們暫時還是不會考量”

今日本土武漢肺炎新增29，922例，較上週四下降16%。

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Thursday was the last day of Vice President Lai Ching-te’s state visit to Palau. In a meeting before his return to Taiwan, Lai was asked about whether his visit to Palau was a sign that he had presidential ambitions in 2024. Lai said it was nothing of the sort, adding that he was simply traveling under orders of the president.

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Lai Ching-te
Vice president
I didn’t interact directly with any U.S. troops. When I was in private with President Surangel Whipps, he did mention collaboration with the U.S. military. Taiwan is on the first island chain, and Palau is on the second island chain. It’s a very strong relationship, involving a huge amount of cooperation. I hope we can continue working together to safeguard peaceful and stable development in the Indo-Pacific.

Day three of Palau, he attended an event to donate telemedicine equipment to Palau, and stood with local baseball stars at a baseball equipment donation ceremony. The Palau visit is the third time that Lai leads a state delegation outside Taiwan this year. It has been seen by some as a sign that he could be planning to run in the 2024 presidential election.

Lai Ching-te
Vice president
Taiwan is facing many challenges domestically and internationally. The president herself is extremely busy. She’s been unable to travel. So I travel in her place. It’s the natural course of action. So my three foreign visits this year were not done with the intentions of running in 2024. It is just my duty as vice president, to follow the orders of the president.

At every formal diplomatic event Lai attended in Palau, he referred to Taiwan as “R.O.C. Taiwan.” That has been interpreted by some as a sign that perhaps Lai’s political stance has become more moderate.

Lai Ching-te
Vice president
Taiwan is not part of China. This is the consensus of Taiwanese society. China’s understanding of the “Taiwan independence” is that if you are not in favor of uniting with China, you are in favor of independence. Meanwhile, the U.S.’ understanding of “Taiwan independence” is to carry out legal changes. So the U.S. and China differ on how they see the matter of “Taiwan independence.” That’s where this issue becomes complicated. Tsai Ing-wen once coined “four commitments,” which are basically agreed on by all of Taiwanese society. These have naturally become a very important path for Taiwan to take as we move forward.

In her National Day Speech in 2021, President Tsai had listed out Taiwan’s “four commitments.” They are the “commitment to a free and democratic constitutional system,” the “commitment that the R.O.C. and the PRC should not be subordinate to each other,” the “commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon Taiwan’s sovereignty” and the “commitment that the future of the R.O.C. Taiwan will be decided in accordance with the will of the Taiwanese people.”

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Central bank governor takes lawmaker’s questions after sharp Fed interest rate hike

The governor of Taiwan’s central bank, Yang Chin-long, on Thursday took questions from lawmakers regarding the rapid rise of interest rates in the U.S. Yang stressed that the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and depreciation of the new Taiwan dollar were short-term trends. As such, he said, investors shouldn’t rush to exchange U.S. dollars, as they might end up losing. Asked about whether the world could see another major financial crisis, Yang said it was unlikely, as financial systems worldwide are more stable now than in previous decades.

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved a 0.75-point hike to interest rates, and ripples of the decision have hit markets worldwide. A lawmaker on Thursday asked the Taiwan central bank governor how the government would respond.

Lai Shyh-bao
KMT lawmaker
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Yang Chin-long
Central bank governor
Even if investors make an earning from the gap in interest rates, in the end they could end up losing due to the exchange rate.

The governor said he was confident in the development of the new Taiwan dollar. He also added that four measures would be taken to stabilize the foreign exchange market. They are establishing on-site and off-site supervisory mechanisms, offering financial market liquidity, preparing foreign currency liquidity, and closely monitoring supply and demand in the foreign exchange market to launch adjustments in a timelier manner.

Yang Chin-long
Central bank governor
The U.S. has been raising interest rates very fast. So they will eventually lower the rates drastically too.

With the U.S. dollar picking up strength, several countries are seeing currencies depreciate, and some could even face a debt crisis. A lawmaker asked the central bank governor whether another major financial crisis could be brewing.

Yang Chin-long
Central bank governor
The likelihood of something like that happening is not high. We all learned our lesson from 1997, and from 2008. So financial systems around the world are more sturdy and healthy now.

The rapid rise in U.S. interest rates is testing the abilities of Taiwan’s central bank to stabilize exchange rates and launch effective policies.

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A local meat bun shop in Miaoli has been serving up delicious fare for customers for almost 30 years. Already passed down to its second generation, the shop offers limited quantities of handmade buns daily. The ingredients are bought and cooked the same day, and everything from the cooking oil, to the buns’ signature purple markings are made by hand with natural ingredients. Selling out in just five hours, this shop proves that good flavor comes from sticking to your philosophy.

The aroma of the juicy buns frying on the hot plate is like a wake-up call to the senses. The shop has just opened up for the day, but the queue is already full of hungry customers.

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Soccer legend Ronaldinho and teqball star Guilter to visit Taiwan in December

Former Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho Gaucho and Brazilian teqballer Natalia Guilter are planning to visit Taiwan from Dec. 9 through Dec. 11. During their stay, they will play an exhibition game and raise funds for a Taiwanese charity. FTV reporter Stephany Yang has the details.

Over the course of Ronaldinho’s career, he has won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d’Or. The soccer star is planning to visit Taiwan in December for the first time. He is scheduled to participate in an exhibition footvolley game with Brazilian teqballer Natalia Guitler at the Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei on Dec. 10.

Ronaldinho Gaucho
Brazilian soccer legend
Hello Taiwan, I will be with you for a sports event on Dec. 9, 10, and 11. I will see you soon! I am counting on you!

Natalia Guilter
Brazilian teqballer
Hello Taiwan! I am very excited to come to Taiwan on Dec. 9, 10, and 11 for a sports event and charity event with Ronaldinho to introduce you to footvolley. We have come to support the missions of the Garden of Hope Foundation. We are counting on you to join us!

Alexandre Paul
Organizer
We have the pleasure to invite Ronaldinho and Natalia, two big stars in the football field and footvolley field. Both were champions. They are coming to Taiwan in December this year on the 9th, 10th, and 11th. We have big events at Tianmu Baseball Stadium this year. We are happy to make the promotion of sports in Taiwan and have the opportunity to introduce a new, different sport that the Taiwanese have never seen before. It’s called footvolley. It’s a mix between football and volleyball. It’s a very impressive sport, very techincal, it has lots of show, and is very entertaining.

While in Taiwan, Ronaldinho and Guitler will also participate in a raffle held by the Garden of Hope Foundation, a women’s and children’s rights advocacy group. Part of the proceeds will be going to underprivileged groups.

Alexandre Paul
Organizer
We have the second event, which is a side event. It’s a charity event. We are fundraising by organizing a lottery where people by buying tickets are going to have a chance to have gifts to maybe for the luckiest have a signed autograph from Ronaldinho and a possibility to get free entrance tickets for the events. For the luckiest, luckiest we are going to give 10 people the opportunity to meet Ronaldinho.

Through the event, organizers hope to raise funds for underprivileged households, as well as to introduce footvolley to more people in Taiwan.

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