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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 No new COVID-19 cases for 11th straight day: CECC
Fresh-cut water lilies and trays of lotus seeds are displayed on a table at the Central Epidemic Command Center’s daily COVID-19 news conference in Taipei yesterday. The seeds were a gift from farmers as an expression of hope for an end to new infection cases. Photo: CNA
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
The Central Epidemic Command Center （CECC） yesterday reported no new COVID-19 cases for the 11th consecutive day.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung （陳時中）, head of the center, added that 398 people have been released from quarantine.
Looking at a vase of fresh-cut water lilies and two trays of fresh lotus seeds placed in front of him on a table, Chen said that the lotus seeds （lian zi, 蓮子） were a gift from farmers and were an expression of hope for a “continuous stop” （lian zhi, 連止） to new infections.
He said that the Council of Agriculture has always collaborated with the ministry in dealing with outbreaks such as avian flu and African swine fever, so the ministry also wanted to show its support to farmers.
Addressing complaints about the one-time NT$10,000 COVID-19 relief payment for uninsured workers, Chen said that local governments face different situations and might differ in their pace of review and approval of applications.
Showing a table with relief data collected from local governments, he said the CECC would publicize the data periodically.
The highest approval rates are as follows: Hsinchu City （47.4 percent）, Taoyuan （42.4 percent）, New Taipei City （28.7 percent）, Kinmen County （27.9 percent） and Tainan （26.8 percent）, he said.
Asked about Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang’s （黃珊珊） comment that asking people to wear a mask and maintain social distancing at dance venues or hostess clubs is impractical and that enforcing a real-name registration system and public safety inspections are more important, Chen said the issue is not that complicated.
“Is disease prevention more important than dancing?” he said.
If people want to dance, they must follow the personal protection guidelines and wear a mask, or “dance a little farther apart.”
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
