A positive COVID-19 isolation experience
By Huang Jui-lin 黃瑞麟
On April 26, I arrived at the Novotel Taipei Taoyuan International Airport hotel to conduct an interview about the COVID-19 cluster infection involving China Airlines cargo pilots.
I was in the hotel’s main building for approximately two hours. When I became aware on April 29 that the entire hotel had been emptied out, I expected that I would receive a message from the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) instructing me to report for testing. By 6pm, when no such message had arrived, I called the “1922” COVID-19 hotline.
At 8am the following day, I received a call from the CECC and was asked about my whereabouts on and after April 26. I reported that I was feeling unwell and arrangements were made by the Taipei Department of Health to go to a hospital for testing.
China Airlines faces stricter measures
‘DOWN TO ZERO 2.0’: All pilots are to undergo quarantine at government centers, while cabin crew on long-haul flights have to quarantine for 14 days
By Chiu Chih-jou, Shelley Shan and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporters, with staff writer
The Central Epidemic Command Center yesterday announced stricter measures to contain a COVID-19 outbreak among China Airlines (華航) flight crew, as the nature of the confirmed cases indicated an unknown chain of transmission within the airline.
The “Down to Zero 2.0” plan will be tough on China Airlines personnel, but is necessary to minimize the risk to society, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.
Lawmakers grill officials over cluster
DODGING DUTY? The CECC and the transport ministry had known since February that the hotel had airline crew and tourists in the same building, a legislator said
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
Lawmakers at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday accused government officials of passing the buck regarding the COVID-19 cluster infection at the Novotel Taipei Taoyuan International Airport hotel, as none of them could give definitive answers to some key questions about the case.
The committee was briefed by officials from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Taoyuan City Government about their proposals to better manage flight and cabin crew members and other frontline workers to prevent weak spots in the disease prevention network.
2021/05/08 17:15 Novotel s airport hotel has been fined for its quarantine practices Novotel s airport hotel has been fined for its quarantine practices (CNA photo) TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The Novotel hotel at the center of a domestic coronavirus (COVID-19) cluster was fined NT$1.27 million (US$45,660) for violating basic quarantine rules, reports said Saturday (May 8). A total of 31 people were infected by COVID in cases related to the Novotel Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, mostly involving China Airlines (CAL) pilots and hotel staff. The health department of Taoyuan City, where the hotel is located, determined that it had not applied to become a quarantine hotel and hosted both travelers and quarantined pilots in violation of official rules, CNA reported.