TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The head of the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Tuesday (May 3) said those who receive a positive result from a rapid antigen test and fail to apply for a PCR test will face punishment if authorities discover they have shirked regulations.
Singer Jody Chiang's (江蕙) agent Chen Tzu-hung (陳子鴻) took to Facebook on Sunday (May 1) to share his experience being infected with COVID. He said that his symptoms were mild, that he treated them with cold medicine, and that he overcame the illness after a few days of eating well and resting up. Chen then called on the public not to get a PCR test unless absolutely necessary.
When asked at a press conference Tuesday (May 3) about Chen Tzu-hung's post and whether there is a penalty for those who receive a positive result from a rapid antigen test but do not undergo a PCR test, CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said that in theory, people who test positive with a rapid antigen kit must notify relevant departments. However, he said there are no efforts currently being made to verify positive cases are notifying authorities of their test result.
He pointed out that if people who test positive with a rapid test kit have not come in contact with a known COVID case or become involved in other notable situations, they will probably not be caught or punished. Chen warned, however, that if a violation is later proven, they will be punished for violating the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防制法).
One reporter noted that when TV host and variety show producer Chiao Chih-fang (焦志方) announced he had been diagnosed with COVID, he emphasized that he would not disclose the names of relatives and friends who he had come in close contact with in order to avoid involving too many people and causing heated debate. Chen said that the onus is now on the public to adapt and make their own decisions when they test positive.
Chen said that according to regulations, confirmed cases have an obligation to notify the authorities about friends and family members they have recently come into contact with. Chen emphasized that this also includes listing classmates and coworkers.
Generally, it is not necessary to list more brief interactions with acquaintances, he added.
