TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will self-isolate at her official residence until April 14, even though she tested negative following a meal with a COVID-positive relative, the Presidential Office said Friday (April 8).
During this time, she will cancel all public events but continue to tend to affairs of state by video conferencing, CNA reported. Her first canceled engagement was a visit to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) originally scheduled for Friday afternoon.
During the April 2-5 Tomb Sweeping Festival, Tsai had 11 relatives over for a meal, but one of the guests later turned out to be infected with COVID-19. During the April 4 reunion, they were separated by dividers and maintained a distance of 3 meters from each other, while each attendee had their temperature measured before entering the venue, according to the Presidential Office.
Tsai and other senior officials, including Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴淸德), tested negative for the virus. Even so, after quarantine, Tsai will maintain a weeklong self-health monitoring period.
She had been expected to meet with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the weekend, but the trip was postponed after the senior Democrat politician contracted COVID.