Taipei, June 7 (CNA) As the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan shows no signs of abating, the government plans to encourage companies to import rapid coronavirus test kits for use at home to expand COVID-19 testing capacity, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Monday.
The CECC came up with the initiative after agreeing late last month that businesses could set up rapid testing centers to test their employees for COVID-19.
On Monday, Fubon Financial Holding Co. established a temporary COVID-19 testing station where it will test employees based on the level of risk to which they are exposed.
The temporary coronavirus testing center is capable of carrying out about 10,000 tests per month and will be in operation for three months under Fubon's current plan, according to the financial holding company.
In addition to those established by enterprises, there are currently 106 rapid testing stations in Taiwan, including 33 in Kaohsiung City, 20 in Nantou County, 14 in New Taipei City and 13 in Taichung City, eight in Penghu County, six in Taipei City and five in Lienchiang County, said CECC official Lo Yi-chun at a CECC press conference.
Moreover, there are two in Taitung County, one each in Miaoli County, Tainan City, Pingtung County, Hsinchu City, and Hualien County, according to Lo.
Lo said that all the makeshift screening facilities in cities and counties do not necessarily provide services on a daily basis and some are mobile testing centers.
Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung , who heads the CECC, said the CECC has no plan to make it mandatory for companies to set up rapid testing facilities, adding that rapid testing serves as a tool for enterprises to monitor their employees' health.
With the help of the local government and military, a large scale rapid screening station was set in Hsinchu Science Park to test employees working for enterprises there, according to Chen.
Also Monday, the Tainan City government said that a COVID-19 rapid screening station will be set up in Tainan Science Park the following day in an effort to prevent cluster outbreaks at tech companies.
