Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je says that New Year’s Eve events in Taipei are expected to go ahead as scheduled, despite Taiwan’s recent detection of a local case of COVID-19. However, Ko also said that these events could still be cancelled with as little as a day’s notice if it becomes necessary to stop big gatherings.
Ko said that reports of a local case of COVID-19 spread by a New Zealand man are the primary cause for concern. He said the Central Epidemic Command Center is still investigating the case, and it remains unclear how serious a breach of Taiwan’s COVID-19 defenses the case may become. However, he said that with the return of just one local case, the government will now activate its second-line of defense against COVID-19. This will mean that vendors will not be allowed to set up stalls during the celebration, and revelers will have to wear masks.
Meanwhile, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi said he will monitor the situation in his city and decide whether to call off the New Year’s Eve events there. Hou said he has already told event organizers they should be prepared to limit the number of attendees and implement measures to control the flow of crowds.