I.Scenarios
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the pathogen causing COVID-19 (colloquially called Wuhan Pneumonia). Most human coronaviruses are transmitted by pathogen-containing secretions or droplets. Human infection of coronaviruses can be asymptomatic or is presented mainly by aspiratory symptoms like stuffy nose, runny nose, cough and fever, which are common symptoms of upper respiratory infection (UPI). More serious respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia, that can cause death are found in a small group of people.
The pneumonia epidemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 broke out in Wuhan, mainland China, at the end of 2019 has turned into a pandemic. Imported cases and local confirmed cases are found from time to time (please visit the website of the Taiwan Center for Diseases of the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the latest updates). After the launch of the COVID-19 vaccines, although vaccination cannot eliminate community infection, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can help prevent serious illness and death. By combining with the intervention of epidemic control measures, large-scale controls and strict community epidemic controls can be reduced to lower the resulting impact.
II.Contingent Policies
i.Contingency for sporadic community infection
(i)Recommended epidemic controls
1.Exactly implement name registration for all persons at entrances and exits and maintain all data. Maintain exact records of human flows and contacts at offices to facilitate the identification of relevant persons and delivery of notification by the competent health authorities during the epidemic investigation.
2.Post visitor rules and prepare alcohol hand sanitizers for use at the noticeable locations of entrances. Request visitors to take temperature measurement and fill in the health survey form before entering the office area. Refuse the entry of visitors with a fever or aspiratory symptoms to prevent the relevant risk. Provide them with the related information for getting medical attention.
3.Encourage all staff members to take the COVID-19 vaccines as recommended by the Central Epidemic Control Center (CECC) to lower the risk of infection.
4.Pro-actively encourage staff members with a fever or aspiratory symptoms to take home rest.
5.When a staff member has a fever or aspiratory symptoms, he/she and the workplace health management staff shall pro-actively proceed with the disease monitoring procedures: notify the supervisor and epidemic control staff; wear face masks; place the sick staff member in an isolated venue space or a venue far away from other staff members; and assist this staff member in getting immediate medical attention or suggest for him/her go home.
6.Arrange awareness education of the cough protocol and maintain hand sanitation.
7.Clean the environment regularly and maintain indoor ventilation.
(ii)Flexible measures for duty or business trips
1.Check and follow the international travel health levels announced by the Taiwan Center for Diseases to understand the latest travel guidelines and advice of the destination country.
2.In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of staff are the top priority. Avoid sending staff to infected domestic/overseas infected areas or counties (cities)/countries in critical condition. Maintain contacts with other parties through video-conferencing or fax.
(iii)Contingency for operating continuity
1.Determine substitute decision-making policies and staff.
2.Draw up offsite work (work from anywhere) and offsite redundancy plans.
(iv)Other support policies and measures
1.Establish and implement a workplace segregation mechanism.
2.Work from anywhere or telephone conference, including work from home.
3.Proceed with home quarantine or self-imposed health management after a staff member is confirmed with COVID-19.
4.Keep up with the latest information published by CECC and ensure the communication of such information to all staff.
5.Staff shall cooperate with the isolation or quarantine of the competent health authorities and shall not go out or come to work. Staff shall be given quarantine/isolation leave that shall not be considered an unexcused absence, request to take personal leave or other type of leave as an alternative. Staff on isolation or quarantine may apply for the government epidemic compensation.
6.Employees confirmed for SARS-CoV-2 infection from work shall be entitled to the work-related sick leave.
ii.Contingency for persistent or generalized community infection
(i)Exact implementation of staff and workplace epidemic control
1.Exactly implement name registration for all persons at entrances and exits and maintain all data. Maintain exact records of human flows and contacts at offices to facilitate the identification of relevant persons and delivery of notification by the concerned health authorities during the epidemic investigation.
2.Post visitor rules and prepare alcohol hand sanitizers for use at the noticeable locations of entrances. Request visitors to take temperature measurement and fill in the health survey form before entering the office area. Refuse the entry of visitors with a fever or aspiratory symptoms to prevent the relevant risk. Provide them with the related information for getting medical attention.
3.Encourage all staff members to take the COVID-19 vaccines as recommended by the Central Epidemic Control Center (CECC) to lower the risk of infection.
4.Request sick staff to take home rest and all staff to strictly follow the cough protocol and maintain hand sanitation.
5.Staff having suspected COVID symptoms such as fever, aspiratory symptoms, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea of unknown origin, influenza-like illness, or contacts or susceptible contacts with a confirmed case within the last 14 days shall pro-actively report to the supervisor or epidemic control staff, wear face masks and placed in an isolation venue or a venue far away from other staff, and assist them in getting immediate medical attention or screening at the nearest hospital.
6.Clean the environment regularly and maintain indoor ventilation.
7.Cancel or postpone all work-related large gatherings, meetings, or activities.
(ii)Contingency for found confirmed cases
1.The epidemic control task force shall capture the nature, scope and time of work of the confirmed case; maintain a list of and arrange awareness education for staff working in the same office or people having potential contacts with the confirmed case and ask them to cooperate with the epidemic investigation; and cooperate with the competent health authorities with the information at hand to speed up epidemic investigation and prevention.
2.Identify contacts based on the results of epidemic investigation by the concerned health authorities and proceed with home isolation, screening and related epidemic control measures in cooperation with the regulations of CECC and the competent health authorities.
3.Maintain a list of other staff not on home isolation but working in the same offices, sharing the same accommodation or having the same territory of activity with the confirmed cases for enhanced health monitoring. Proceed with screening at the request of the concerned health authorities, as necessary. Request staff to enhance personal health management including wearing masks in the workplace and washing hands frequently. When there are susceptible COVID symptoms such as fever, aspiratory symptoms, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea of unknown origin, influenza-like illness, proactively report to the unit supervisor and epidemic control staff to contact the health authority, take appropriate precautionary measures, and provide guide for medical attention.
4.Re-adjust office space to maintain social distancing for the staff and separate staff with participation.
5.Sanitize the workplace environment.
6.Follow other instructions given by the CECC and concerned health authorities.
(iii)Contingency for operation continuity
1.Make use of digital tools and promote them through video-conferencing.
2.Adjust work and duty patterns, make flexible workforce dispatch, set up offsite offices, reduce the number of staff in the office and develop feasible plans for work from home
(iv)Other support policies and measures
1.Same as the other support policies and measures for sporadic community infection.
2.Keep up with the real-time and accurate epidemic conditions in the location and take contingent actions in cooperation with the concerned health authorities.
3.Establish channels and procedures for information communication to communicate the epidemic control plans and latest epidemic control information to all staff.
4.Follow the “Cautions for Enterprises to Use SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Testing Kits” to use rapid antigen testing kits.
III.Emergency Response Organization (Emergency Contact Network)
Deputy Director-General Wang shall be the chief of epidemic control of the National Airborne Service Corps (NASC), with the Personnel Office and Secretariat being the epidemic control staff to take charge of: capturing epidemic changes, epidemic awareness education, preparing epidemic control supplies, health management and staff health monitoring, epidemic reporting, capturing the list of workplace contacts of confirmed cases, judging information required for determining contact situation, and proceeding with epidemic control in cooperation with competent health authorities. Epidemic control measures apply to all staff.