Magistrate Lai Says Airport and Harbor Counters Will Continue Screening Travel History for People Under Home Quarantine
Penghu County Government
2020-04-01
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At the county affairs meeting on April 1, Penghu County Magistrate Feng-wei Lai ordered the continuation of the immigration query system linked to the National Health Insurance (NHI) cloud at the airport and harbor to prevent people under home quarantine entering Penghu. Heavy penalties will also be imposed for people who break their home quarantine.
Magistrate Lai said that the Central Epidemic Command Center agreed that all residents of offshore islands returning from overseas after April 1 must first undergo home quarantine on Taiwan proper for 14 days. They must complete the quarantine before taking public transport back to offshore islands. The county government is nevertheless taking all precautions to ensure people under home quarantine do not accidentally or deliberately enter Penghu.
According to Lai, the immigration query system linked to the NHI cloud at the airport and harbor were initially put into place to pick up people who should be under retrospective home quarantine after returning from Europe or America. The retrospective quarantine order is about to expire but there are still reports of people in Taiwan breaking their quarantine order. Airport and harbor checkpoints must therefore remain vigilant.
Penghu County Government noted that a citizen named Hsu and his son living in Chaoyang Village, Magong City, was reported to the county authorities for repeatedly going outside during their “home quarantine” period. The police department reviewed surveillance footage from next to their house as well as nearby intersections and convenience stores but found no unauthorized absences. They will continue to investigate the matter by reviewing surveillance footage from over a broader period of time. Members of the public are asked to immediately call 1999 or 110 if they discover people breaking their home quarantine.
Magistrate Lai said that there are still currently “0 confirmed cases” in Penghu. The central government has also banned people under home quarantine from traveling to Penghu by public transport. The 31 Penghu residents under home quarantine must therefore be monitored closely for the community’s peace of mind. Lai therefore asked the police department and civil affairs department to step up their monitoring and support for home quarantines. Fines of up to NT$1 million can be imposed for unauthorized absences.
According to Penghu County Government, there are currently 37 people under home quarantine on record. 31 of those are staying at home, while the 6 are staying at quarantine hotels on Taiwan proper with the assistance of the county’s Taipei liaison office. A further 6 people have also placed reservations for quarantine hotels in Taiwan. All 31 people quarantined in Penghu County are expected to have their quarantine order lifted by April 14.
Director Chi-yu Chen from the Taipei Liaison Office of Penghu County Government that the county will send a “Home Quarantine Care Package” containing face masks, a thermometer and other epidemic prevention supplies to Penghu residents under home quarantine on Taiwan proper. Daily telephone calls will also be made to check on their health. The Taipei Liaison Office has assisted a number of local residents checking into or booking quarantine hotels. Those who need quarantine accommodation can call 02-23223130 for more information from Monday to Sunday.
