The mayors of Taipei and New Taipei both told residents of their respective cities to only go to a COVID-19 testing site to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test if they have already taken a rapid test and tested positive.
During a daily press briefing on COVID-19 on Sunday, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (???) said that starting from Tuesday, the 31 testing sites in the city will only offer PCR tests to people who have had a positive rapid test or are experiencing symptoms.
The 31 testing sites, according to Hou, include 18 hospitals in the city and 13 sites set up by the city government.
The restriction is meant to preserve the city’s testing capacity, so people who want to take a PCR test without a positive rapid test result or showing symptoms should book one online before going to a testing site, Hou said.
New Taipei has been reporting the highest daily number of new domestic cases in Taiwan since April 1, when the country saw daily locally transmitted cases exceed 100 for the first time this year.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (???) also expressed concerns about his city’s PCR testing capacity during the Taipei City government’s press briefing Sunday, urging local residents not to go to one of Taipei’s seven testing sites unless they have had a positive rapid test result.
To preserve the city’s testing capacity, Ko said the seven testing sites will only offer a PCR test to people who have either gotten a positive rapid test result or have made an appointment in advance.
He also asked local residents not to take a rapid test unless they experience symptoms or have been listed as close contacts of infected individuals, and said people who go to a testing site actually expose themselves to higher risks of getting infected.
The Tri-Service General Hospital, which has four branches in Taipei, has agreed to adopt the PCR test restrictions from Monday, while the city government has contacted the National Taiwan University Hospital and the Taipei Veterans General Hospital about this, Ko said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel