Page 167 - Conducting Elections during COVID-19

TAIWAN 149

Deepening COVID-19 Safety Measures
Taiwan increased its laboratory testing capacity, expanded the scope of its surveillance and inspections
based on trends of the COVID-19 epidemic, and retested people with higher risk who had already
tested negative, including patients with symptoms of severe influenza, community cases with upper
respiratory tract infections who were already being monitored, and cluster cases of upper respiratory
tract infections, to identify suspected cases and perform treatment in isolation wards.

It designated 50 regional hospitals and medical centres and 167 community hospitals and clinics
to create a tiered system for testing. Taiwan banned export of surgical masks since January 24,
requisitioned masks, and expanded domestic mask production to more effectively allocate masks.
These measures have helped Taiwan achieve effective allocation of limited resources and meet health-
care, epidemic prevention, household, and industrial needs.
Local Government Elections

The Central Election Commission (CEC), Taiwan implemented various preventive measures for
COVID-19 safe local by-elections in February, 2020. The measures also aimed at easing voters’ mind,
build up elector confidence to participate in the vote process.
To prevent spread of the disease, the CEC adopted various prevention measures in the local by-
elections. The measures included:
• Disinfection of polling sites.
• Polling workers pre-health assessment, only staff who have no fever or illness case were allowed
to execute their duties.
• Poll workers were required to wear surgical masks throughout the polling day.
• Quarantine stations were set up outside stations to take voters’ temperature, and hand sanitizers
were provided at the entrance and the exit for voters’ use.
• In accordance with Taiwan Communicable Disease Control Act, people who are under home
isolation and home quarantine are prohibited to go out to vote. Voters who have a fever are
required to wear masks to enter the polling stations.
• Masks were also provided for expectant mothers and individuals with fever or respiratory
symptoms in polling stations.
• Also, the CEC promoted essential concepts of COVID-19 prevention among voters to strengthen
their safety.