Job Discussion Forums

wix · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 250 Location: Earth

I am surprised that someone didn't start a thread on this earlier. While SARS had been controlled in Taiwan there was another outbreak last week. Everybody has their own opinion about SARS. I don't think it is as bad as the media hype makes out, but it is important to carefully monitor the situation and be aware of the risks.

It is possible the Taiwan Government may declare a state of emergency in the next few days to deal with the crisis. The government is also putting a ban on visitors from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada. Please see this article from Reuters for details: Taiwan Bars Visitors from SARS-Infected Areas

If you are planning to come to Taiwan in the near future please check with the local "Taipei Economic & Cultural Office" (i.e. Taiwanese Consulate) for exact details on any restrictions in place. This will also affect anyone needing to do a visa run.

taiwan boy · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 99 Location: China

For more information about the situation in Taiwan I suggest the following websites:

Taipei Times
Taiwan News
Taiwan Headlines

Take care everybody Smile

wix · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 250 Location: Earth

Here are links to a few articles updating the travel restrictions put in place as a result of SARS in Taiwan. If you are planning to come to Taiwan please check with the airline and the nearest Taipei Economic and Cultural Office for the latest news.

Visitors from SARS-hit areas restricted
Taiwan shuts borders to SARS-hit areas

chi-chi · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 127 Location: Back in Asia!

Uh, I think there was some info. left out that could possibly affect some new arriving teachers.
For the next two weeks, all people arriving from Singapore, Vietnam, China, CANADA, and HONG KONG will have a mandatory 10-day quarantine and will not be issued visas. I think I got that right, apologizes in advance if I got the details wrong.
Anyone planning a visa run needs to plan on Thailand, Japan, Korea, Malaysia or the Phillipines. Don't go to Indo, as a bomb went off in their airport yesterday.

Taipei Times

Visitors from SARS-hit areas restricted

HARSH MEASURES: The Executive Yuan also said passengers on planes coming from Canada, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Vietnam will be put under mandatory quarantine
By Ko Shu-ling

The Executive Yuan yesterday decided to suspend the issuance of visas to people from China, Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore and Vietnam for two weeks as the nation saw its first death from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). killing 7 people.

Sunpower · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 256 Location: Taipei, TAIWAN

taiwan boy · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 99 Location: China

The Council of Labour Affairs (CLA) has set up hotlines for questions about SARS. There are services in four different languages, although I guess people here will only be interested in the English service.

Phone (toll free): 0800-885885

more details: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/05/04/204588

WorkingVaca · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 135

The World Health Organization (WHO) website updates the number of SARS cases reported around the world in a daily chart. "China, Taiwan" has been upgraded as a high risk area within the last week: http://www.who.int/csr/sars/country/en/