Health Center Provides 1000 Test Kits for Festival Attendees 蜂炮後防患未然 鹽水衛生所提供千份快篩

Over 20,000 people participated in the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Display on the night of the Lantern Festival, which, many worried, may cause further spread of the epidemic. That's why the Tainan City Government Health Bureau started providing rapid test kits from February 16 to 18th at the Yanshui District Health Center for the public to claim on a voluntary basis. 

There are not many people in front of the public health center on the morning of February 16; some are mainly there to pick up chronic illness prescriptions, but some are indeed there to obtain rapid test kits.

Citizen Obtaining Rapid Test Kit: “Because the Covid-19 situation seems to be getting more severe, and since the government happens to be offering such a kind gesture, we definitely should take up on this offer. I have taken a photo of my rapid test result to show my friends, hoping that they will also come to get test kits for themselves.”

Citizen: “If I sense that I'm coughing or feeling some discomfort, I should come and see if there are any test kits.”

The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival just came to completion on February 15 with over 20,000 people on site. Although the attendees all are supplied with protective gear and enhanced personal COVID-19 prevention measures, because of prior confirmed case tracks reaching the nearby Yuejin Lantern Festival, and attendees may have come from all over Taiwan, the Tainan City Government Health Bureau decided to provide rapid test kits for all people in need and expects to give out 1000 rapid test kits in three days.

Huang Ping-yao, Chief, Yanshui District Public Health Center: “Because there were quite a large number of people at last night's Yuejin Lantern Festival and Beehive Fireworks Festival, so regardless (of where you were), starting today everyone can come here (Yanshui Health Center) to obtain rapid test kits.”

The Tainan City Government Heath Bureau notes that from February 16 at 8:30 a.m. to February 18 at 10:30 a.m., anybody in need can obtain a rapid test kit at the Yanshui District Public Health Center. In case of a positive test result, patients should contact the Health Bureau. In addition, the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival has come to an end early this morning. The Tainan City Environmental Protection Bureau dispatched 153 cleaners overnight to dispose of a total of 27.1 tons of fireworks debris and garbage, restoring the place to its original state before 8 a.m. this morning.

鹽水區衛生所前16日一早人潮不多，有的民眾是來拿慢性病藥，但也有民眾是來領快篩劑。

領快篩民眾：「有感於新冠肺炎的疫情嚴重關係，就剛好有這個美意，我們當然來領取一下，那我也是拍照（快篩劑）給朋友看，希望他們也一起來領取這樣。」

另名民眾則說：「若感覺有在咳嗽、還是怎樣，就該來拿看看、看有沒有。」

鹽水蜂炮15日才剛落幕，現場超過2萬人共襄盛舉，雖然參與鹽水蜂炮已備妥防護裝備，並加強民眾落實個人防疫措施，但有鑑於先前有確診者足跡，到訪鄰近的月津港燈節，加上參加者可能來自全國，因此南市衛生局16日一早發放快篩劑給有需要的民眾，3天預計要發放1000份。

鹽水區衛生所所長黃品耀表示：「昨天那個港燈節的人，還有那個蜂炮，人實在蠻多的，所以說今天開始就無差別，所有人都可以來我們鹽水衛生所這邊來拿快篩試劑。」

南市衛生局表示，16日到18日上午8時30分至10時30分，有需要的民眾都可至鹽水區衛生所領取快篩劑，若快篩出現陽性，請與衛生局聯繫。另鹽水蜂炮凌晨落幕，台南市環保局漏夜出動153名清潔隊員，清運炮屑及垃圾，共清運27.1噸，今早8時前已恢復市容。