Aligned with the New Lifestyle Movement for Epidemic Prevention announced by CECC Commander Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) on May 7, Tainan City Government took immediate actions, including re-opening high school and elementary school campuses and venues for city residents and resuming courses in community colleges, elderly learning centers, and other continuing education institutions. Meanwhile, the City Government continues to remind all citizens to thoroughly practice self-health management, adhere to campus access protocols for epidemic prevention, and refrain from entering campus grounds in cases of illness and fever.
Mayor Huang Wei-che instructed the city’s epidemic prevention and control team to remain vigilant despite reduction in COVID-19 cases. The Mayor stressed that Tainan City must urgently revive the economy, bolster local tourism, and support the economic well-being of citizens, but all of these must be achieved under the premise that the outbreak is carefully contained and the spread is curtailed. In the morning of May 7, the Bureau of Social Affairs, together with the Bureau of Health, Bureau of Environmental Protection, and Fire Bureau, conducted another round of emergency drill to tackle the outbreak. This exercise enables participating city government agencies to strengthen their capacity and deploy advanced preparedness measures.
For citizens who are experiencing hardships and in need of emergency relief funds, the City Government is mobilizing district office staff to gear up efforts in handling the increasing number of applications. Many staff members are working overtime to help accelerate the process and ensure that the assistance funds can reach the hands of those affected in the shortest time possible. Tainan City is also the first nationwide to implement the Ministry of Labor’s Employment Assistance Program, which started as early as the beginning of April in Tainan. By May 4, all applicant workers are on-board and have started working in their respective public sector jobs. Tainan City Government and Mayor Huang attach great importance to the livelihood of workers in Tainan, and therefore put out this immediate aid measure to support workers, especially those furloughed and laid off, during the difficult times of the COVID-19 outbreak.