Local government officials have questioned the center’s decision to extend the level 3 COVID-19 alert to July 26, while allowing some restrictions to be conditionally eased.
The center is to allow dine-in services to resume for individual customers at restaurants that use panels or other measures for social distancing, space tables 1.5m apart and cap eating times at one hour, but all cities and counties, except for Penghu County, have announced that they would keep the dining-in ban until July 26.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je on Saturday said that “the central government announced the order, but does not care about the implementation, leaving it for each city or county to decide on their own.”
“I think that is being very irresponsible,” Ko added.
The central government should explain the standards of each alert level and set clear policies so that local governments implement the same standards, or the confusion and debate over inconsistent policies would cause harm, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi said.
The central government sets national standards, but local governments can modify them according to local needs, Chen said, adding that while the CECC announced that dine-in services could resume under certain conditions, local governments could make appropriate adjustments.
“Most of the local governments have been very careful in making decisions — discussing issues with local groups and considering the economic and disease prevention outcomes — and we respect their decisions,” he said.
“The central government provided a framework, and the local governments can set the details,” he said. “The central and local governments must shoulder the responsibility together, and everyone has to be responsible for carrying out their own decisions.” - Taipei Times, Photo CNA
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