Taipei has turned an activity center into an extra-secure quarantine hotel for imported COVID cases. Starting Saturday, the Chientan Youth Activity Center in Shilin District will become a hotel that''s staffed by medical professionals. It will be used by international arrivals who test positive for COVID and have only mild or no symptoms. Let''s hear from the CECC.

Chen Shih-chung
CECC commander
These next two days, we will see a large number of arrivals with COVID. Because the cases have all been mild so far, we have decided that starting tomorrow, we will separate those testing positive into groups. They will be separated into two groups at the airport – one to be sent to hospitals, to a roster of designated hospitals. The other group will be sent to “fortified” quarantine hotels or a centralized quarantine facility. Those facilities will also have nurses and caretakers. If symptoms appear, people in the facilities can receive treatment over conference or be transferred to hospital.

Ko Wen-je
Taipei mayor
We have established a dedicated quarantine hotel, which will be used starting tomorrow. We are using the Chientan Youth Activity Center for that. In principle, those aged 20 to 40 who have no symptoms will be sent there. We will do our best to send those 65 and older to hospital directly.

The CECC says this "fortified" quarantine hotel in Taipei will be followed by others. New Taipei is preparing such hotels of its own. The CECC hopes this new arrangement will lessen the burden on hospitals.