The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) confirmed 206 local COVID-19 infection cases yesterday, (May 16). To tighten disease control as the infection cases grow, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) urge people to register personal information online for their electronic cards when taking public transportation.
According to FOCUS TAIWAN, major smart card operators EasyCard, iPASS, and icash all offer such a service, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), encourages those who have not registered online to do so as soon as possible because it would collect boarding and alighting information from the bus, metro and train passengers, which would tighten disease control, particularly in the greater Taipei area.
And to reduce the potential transmission of COVID-19, Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and Taiwan High Speed are conducting stricter COIVD-19 prevention measures. There will be a ban on eating and drinking on both train carriages.
Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) will apply restrictions on train tickets on non-reserved tickets to prevent the coronavirus disease from spreading.
From now on until June 8th, Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) announces to stop selling standing tickets (tickets with no seats) for express trains, such as the Taroko Express(太魯閣號), Puyuma Express(普悠瑪號), Tze-Chiang Limited Express(自強號), Chu-Kuang Express(莒光號), and Fu-Hsing Semi Express(復興號).
And for people using a communication ticket or a smart card, please take the local train(區間車) or the fast local train(區間快車).
Taiwan Railway will request those who still take the express trains with a standing ticket (a communication ticket or a smart card included) to get off the train, and those who refuse to get off the train will be transferred to the railway police station and fined.
The Taiwan High-Speed Railway(THSRC) will suspend non-reserved seating service starting today until June 8th.
At the same time, don't ride public transportation if you experience any COVID-19 symptoms or you know you've been around someone with COVID-19.
For those who feel sick, please dial the 1992 disease prevention hotline for further medical assistance.
