In order to increase COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Taiwan, the central government has agreed to provide shots to all foreign workers without examining their legal status. This promise has been broken in some areas, while surprising discoveries were made elsewhere.
Foreign workers wait in a long line along a road in the mountainous village of Lishan for a chance to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Many among them are in Taiwan illegally.
This worker says she is not afraid of getting caught.
The central government had promised that illegal workers will not be detained when they get vaccinated in order to promote immunization in that group.
Some are still worried about being detained, though. Meanwhile, others in Taiwan legally but in rural areas have not had the time to go to distant vaccination spots in the cities.
The Lishan vaccination station is the highest of its kind in Taiwan in terms of elevation. It was set up specifically for foreign workers. Four hundred people were originally expected to come, but in the end the station saw well over a thousand. Around 90% of them were in Taiwan illegally, having overstayed their visas or left their original places of employment without notice. All of them received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
As promised, none of the workers were detained. Translators were also present to facilitate communication.
The Lishan area is known for growing cash crop fruit like snow pears. It has had to start relying on foreign workers due to labor shortages. Local farmers hope that no one will get in trouble over legalities after the vaccine doses have been distributed.
Lin Jun-ching from Taichung City’s vaccination program says that foreign nationals can get their vaccine shots until the end of January without worry.
The mountain vaccination station was set up to accommodate legal workers who may not have the time to travel to cities to get their shots. The high proportion of illegal workers showing up turned out to be somewhat of a surprise.