Barbecues are a must-do here in Taiwan to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, but probably not this year due to the epidemic. Some cities have announced an outright ban on outdoor barbecues at parks while others only allow citizens to barbecue at designated locations.
The pork vendor is almost out of meat, as the Mid-Autumn Festival is right around the corner. Barbecues are a popular festival activity, but this year the six special municipalities are restricting outdoor barbecues to varying degrees as a disease prevention measure. Taipei has banned barbecues at riverside parks and is advising against closing off streets for barbecues. The vendor expects the measure to affect business in the next several days.
Pork Vendor: “Most people buy it a few days before. How much business will be affected will depend on what people's mindsets are.”
The domestic epidemic situation is worsening, causing the six special municipalities to spring into action. Taipei and New Taipei City have banned barbecues at riverside parks. Taoyuan is only allowing barbecues at Hutoushan Park's barbecue area. Taichung is allowing barbecues at two outdoor locations. Tainan and Kaohsiung have maintained their existing ban on barbecues in parks. However, people can hold barbecues in their own homes.
Resident: “This way is better for everyone, because you can avoid outdoor gatherings. Everyone is afraid of the pandemic anyway, and outdoor barbecues are also not hygienic or good for the air quality. ”
Resident: “We only have barbecues once a year. It's not like we're doing this year-round. Just saying…”
Ko Wen-je (Sept. 5, 2022), Mayor, Taipei City: “We do not encourage people to get together to barbecue. We won't control you if you're barbecuing at home, but we need to avoid those activities where streets are closed off and thousands get together to barbecue.”
The Taipei City Government will send personnel to patrol riverside parks and crack down on illegal barbecues. They can issue fines of NT$1,200 to NT$6,000 for violations. Meanwhile, Central Epidemic Command Center disease prevention guidelines for Mid-Autumn Festival gatherings and activities recommend that unvaccinated senior citizens, young children, and immunocompromised people avoid gatherings and activities.
上午9點多，攤商的溫體黑豬肉已經快被買光，中秋烤肉旺季將至，最熱門的梅花里肌肉一早就被民眾掃空。不過，受到北市祭出禁止河濱公園烤肉，也不建議封街烤肉，攤商估計接下來幾天生意可能多少受到影響。
豬肉攤商說：「都是前幾天會有人買，多少會有影響，就是說看每個人的想法。」
因應國內疫情升溫，六都都對戶外烤肉活動祭出了管制措施。其中，雙北的河濱公園都不開放烤肉；桃園市只有虎頭山公園烤肉區可以烤肉；台中開放兩處戶外烤肉場所；而台南市和高雄市維持既有公園綠地管制措施，原本就不能烤肉。不過，民眾自行在家烤肉，則沒有限制。
有民眾認為：「對大家都好，因為在外面人多怕疫情，然後又不衛生，對空氣又汙染。」
但也有民眾反對：「一年度烤肉就烤這麼一次對不對，我們又不是說一年四季都可以，只是說應個景而已。」
台北市長柯文哲表示：「我們不鼓勵群聚烤肉，你在家裡烤肉不會管你，但是那種什麼封街、什麼萬人烤肉活動，這個就要避免。」
北市府今年將派員加強巡邏河濱公園，如果違規群聚烤肉且勸導不聽，可開罰1200元到6000元。而根據中央流行疫情指揮中心中秋聚會活動防疫指引，也建議未施打疫苗的長者、幼兒與免疫功能不佳的族群，要避免中秋群聚活動。
