TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The government should cut water, electricity, and internet fees in order to persuade the public to stay at home during the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Consumers Foundation said Tuesday (June 8).

The group said its statement was a response to a call by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to stay at home during the June 12-14 Dragon Boat Festival. Several discounts for travelers during the three-day holiday have already been abolished, while celebrities have encouraged the public to protect their relatives by not visiting them this time around.

The Consumers Foundation said the president should instruct government departments and enterprises to cut rates or introduce other benefits favoring people staying at home, UDN reported.

The government and the financial sector had already taken praiseworthy measures to promote online banking in order to reduce the need for clients to visit bank branches and use ATMs, the foundation said.

If the authorities want people to stay home to cut the number of COVID infections, then they should make life easier and cut the cost of working from home, according to the consumers’ rights group. The foundation also said the government could easily reduce fees for a range of formalities, such as applications for new passports, licenses, and diplomas.