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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 CECC tightens restrictions on airlines’ crews
China Airlines crew members arrive at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday after a flight from London. Photo: CNA
PROTECTING THE PUBLIC: Home quarantines have been increased and flight and cabin crew must test negative for COVID-19 before going out in public
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
Pilots and flight attendants will be required to undergo seven days of home quarantine after overseas flights, starting from 12am on Friday, the Central Epidemic Command Center （CECC） announced yesterday.
Airline employees must also observe stricter health guidelines when conducting self-health management, center officials told a briefing in Taipei.
Previously, cargo and passenger flight crew were required to undergo three and five days of home quarantine respectively after returning from overseas, as well as conduct self-health management for several more days.
Airlines were permitted to dispatch pilots and flight attendants on assignments within two weeks of their return to Taiwan.
However, government officials decided to tighten the regulations after three EVA Airways Corp （長榮航空） pilots tested positive for COVID-19 following a cargo flight to the US, becoming cases No. 760, 765 and 766.
A contact tracing investigation by the CECC found that case No. 765, a New Zealander, did not wear a mask during the flight, despite having symptoms, and infected his coworkers on the flight.
During the period when he was supposed to conduct self-health management, he was found to have engaged in non-essential excursions with a friend, who later became case No. 771 and the nation’s first domestic case in 253 days.
The new guidelines require that flight and cabin crew undergo seven days of home quarantine after returning to Taiwan, and would only be allowed to go out in public after they test negative for COVID-19, the center said.
However, pilots and flight attendants may accept long-distance flight duties during their home quarantine periods, provided that they stay in a company dormitory or a government-approved quarantine hotel before their next assignment, the center said.
They must also travel directly to airports by vehicles arranged by their airlines and sign a health declaration form before being leaving on their new assignment, and then undergo seven days of quarantine again upon returning home, the center said.
Once flight and cabin crew re-enter local communities, they would be asked to thoroughly follow a series of tightened measures during a seven-day self-health management period, the center said.
In addition to taking their temperature and monitoring their health daily, they would be banned from public transport, as well as entering bars, nightclubs, department stores, night markets or any other location where they might have difficulty adhering to social distancing guidelines or come in close contact with other people, the center said.
They must wear masks when they go out and record their itineraries in detail, as well as the names of the people who they meet, it added.
Civil Aeronautics Administration （CAA） Deputy Director Clark Lin （林俊良） told the briefing that flight and cabin crew who fail to observe the new guidelines would be fined NT$100,000 to NT$1 million （US$3,506 to US$35,057） in accordance with the Communicable Disease Control Act （傳染病防治法）.
Airlines would be fined up to NT$1 million if found negligent in the oversight of their employees, and the CAA could also consider reducing the number of their flights, Lin said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
