0Focus Taiwan
Date: 04/06/2020
By: Chen Wei-ting, Fan Cheng-hsiang, Phoenix Hsu and William Yen

Taipei, April 6 (CNA) All vendors and service providers who deal with customers will be required to wear surgical masks, with enforced regulations to be revealed at a later date, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Monday.

The general principle is to try to adopt social distancing at all times, and to wear masks when such scenarios prove to be difficult, said Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who also heads the CECC, in a bid to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The regulations, which will be extended to vendors and all first-line hospitality staff members, will be announced after further meetings have been conducted, he said.

The idea was first brought up Monday by ruling Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ying (陳瑩) at a legislative hearing to review if wearing masks should be mandatory for all hospitality, and food and beverage staff, as it is for all people who work in and use public transport.    [FULL  STORY]