Focus Taiwan
Date: 03/25/2020
By: Wu Hsin-yun, Yu Hsiao-han, Chen Yi-hsuan and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, March 25 (CNA) Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday announced that it will expand the scope of its COVID-19 coronavirus screening tests to medical and healthcare workers with suspected infection symptoms in order to prevent possible cluster infections in the nation's healthcare system.

Those who work in hospitals, healthcare institutes and nursing homes who have developed fever or other respiratory symptoms are now subject to coronavirus screening tests, said Deputy Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) during a CECC press event.

Previously, Taiwan only conducted COVID-19 tests on those with suspected symptoms who had recently traveled to countries with coronavirus outbreaks, or who had contact with coronavirus patients, as well as patients with severe flu-like symptoms.

According to Hsueh, medical and healthcare workers' National Health Insurance smartcards will identify their owners' occupation when they seek medical attention so that doctors can make the correct decisions.    [FULL  STORY]