Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai says quarantine rules for flight crews must strike a balance between economic gain and the need to prevent disease. Wang’s comments come amid a COVID-19 cluster infection centered on a quarantine hotel for pilots. The outbreak has led to several new domestic cases of infection.
Wang says that the government is working to close holes in its disease prevention system that allowed the outbreak to spread. He says that extending quarantine periods for airline personnel is a matter for the Central Epidemic Command Center to decide. However, he said that cargo pilots are bringing in considerable economic gains for Taiwan, and that any restrictions that hamper cargo flights could bring significant financial losses.
Head of Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration Lin Kuo-shian says that his agency’s number one concern is the safety of flight crews. He says his agency will abide by any prevention guidelines needed to keep airlines running.