Скачать или смотреть Taipei City Council grapples with COVID cluster

Taipei City Council is grappling with a COVID cluster that''s now grown to 10 cases. The outbreak began last week with an independent councilor, and has since spread to four other councilors and five staffers and security guards. As a precaution, one non-infected councilor has asked most of her staffers to work from home. Another councilor has spent the past 10 days sleeping in his office, to avoid bringing the virus home to his infant grandson.
He carries blankets and a pillow to the office sofa, where he lays them down. Amid a COVID outbreak at Taipei City Council, Councilor Chang Mao-nan has spent the past 10 days sleeping in his office.

Chang Mao-nan
Taipei City councilor (DPP)
We have a baby at home who’s only a month old. As a grandfather, I feel that with all these councilors testing positive, it’s best for me to stay here for 10 days.

With domestic transmission gathering pace, an outbreak has struck Taipei City Council. Independent city councilor Huang Yu-fen tested positive last week, followed by the DPP’s Wang Min-sheng this Tuesday, the KMT’s Tai Hsi-chin this Wednesday, and fellow party member Keng Wei this Thursday. As a precaution, the city government sent three mobile PCR testing stations to the city council. New Party Councilor Hou Han-ting tested positive early Friday morning, along with five councilors’ assistants and building security guards.

Hou Han-ting
Taipei City councilor (New Party)
I tested positive. Right now my throat’s a bit scratchy and I’m a bit woozy. Other than that, I have no serious symptoms. I feel guilty about any friends or family who may have been infected by me.?

Keng Wei
Taipei City councilor (KMT)
Right now I have a slight cough, a sore throat, and I’m a bit wheezy if I talk a lot – and I have a tingling sensation in my lungs. It really is more uncomfortable than getting a cold. Although it’s an election year, the health and safety of the public is more important than anything else. So, I’ll stick to avoiding contact with others for 17 days.

The councilor appeared fatigued and out of breath as she spoke. She and Councilor Hou have switched to conducting their work activities online or through telephone. As a precaution, KMT Councilor Angela Ying has put all but one staffer on work-from-home. She’s also suspended all in-person meetings.

Hsu Shu-hua
Taipei City councilor (DPP)
Actually, councilors and their assistants are a high-risk group to begin with. I’ve suggested to the city council speaker that we could hold another day of testing. Yesterday’s testing came on short notice and lots of people couldn’t make it.?

With case numbers rising quickly, many politicians have expressed concerns. They’re taking every precaution to reduce the risk of infection.