Friday, 29 March 2024
FeaturedNews

Petition circles asking for Taipei Show closure in face of Coronavirus

Exhibitors of the Taipei Cycle Show are circulating a petition calling on the Taiwan External Trade Council to cancel the exhibition due to fears of the Coronavirus spreading.

Far from a unique problem to the cycling industry, the trade council has been leaned on in various industries to take precautionary measures on such events. For the time being, the official line is that the Taipei Cycle Show shall proceed, but without the involvement of Chinese participants.

Seen by CyclingIndustry.News, a petition warns against proceeding with the show on safety grounds, while others have asked for a reschedule that comes at a date when the virus is contained. At the present time Taiwan only has nine confirmed cases of this strain of Coronavirus.

Within the petition it is said that, aside from the absence of Chinese visitors, exhibitors that have spoken with European and U.S.-based customers report a declaration that they will not travel for the event as a precaution.

The latest Home Office advice to UK citizens traveling cites the Coronavirus, but does not outright advise against travel. A Dengue Fever outbreak is deemed just as troublesome.

The show relies heavily on the attendance of visitors from these markets and may have difficulty rescheduling due to a busy industry show calendar likely creating conflicts.

TAITRA has now issued a new statement to interested parties that reads:

In response to the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV or Wuhan Pneumonia), the Taiwan government has taken comprehensive measures to protect the health of the public from the global outbreak. All events and activities held by TAITRA for international visitors are conducted in full and stringent compliance with health and safety regulations and there is no danger posed to exhibitions and meeting venues in Taiwan. From the airport to the hotel to the venue and back, visitors can rest
assured that they will be safe to visit Taiwan.

In the extremely unlikely event that anyone displays symptoms of the novel coronavirus – or any other disease or illness – visitors can be reassured that Taiwan’s healthcare system and medical sector is continually ranked as one of the top healthcare systems in the world. Visitors can expect the highest standards for medical assistance, including multiple treatment rooms on hand with the most advanced medical equipment available anywhere in the world. Taiwan reacted swiftly to news of the novel coronavirus outbreak and the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (TCDC) immediately activated the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) in order to integrate resources across the government and networks of public health experts.

Measures being taken to effectively control any spread of the novel coronavirus within Taiwan include the following:

• Operating active surveillance and screening systems for disease control, such as Infrared Thermal Image Scanning (ITIS), at all major airports and ports to ensure the safety and well-being of visitors to Taiwan.
• Visitors who experience symptoms such as fever or cough upon arriving in Taiwan must notify an officer at the quarantine station in the airport or port.
• If the aforementioned symptoms develop within 14 days after arriving in Taiwan, sufferers must immediately wear a surgical mask and call the Epidemic Prevention Line 1922 to seek immediate medical
attention. Failing to report truthfully will be fined in accordance with Article 69 of the Law on Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Disease.
• Within 24 hours, Taiwan’s medical institutions must report and isolate patients with a fever above 38 degrees, patients with respiratory symptoms like coughs and signs of pneumonia, and patients who have been to Wuhan, China in the preceding 14 days before the onset of illness. Failing to comply with the regulation will result in maximum penalty of 2 million TWD.
• Infection control drills are being conducted locally in Taiwan at healthcare facilities to minimize the impact of the outbreak, and guidance for public transportation, public gatherings and educational institutions on prevention measures have been issued to reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus.
• Severe restrictions have been placed on visitors to Taiwan from China, the source of the novel coronavirus, including prohibiting, postponing and suspending tourist, student and business travel applications. More detailed information can be found via this link.     

The news comes int he wake of the cancellation of ISPO’s Chinese instalment that was due to run on the mainland this month.