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Working Together to Prevent Infection(4)

109-04-20

Working Together to Prevent Infection

            In the face of the current threats from COVID-19 and in response to the demand for the public prevention of the epidemic, the Armed Forces Reserve Command followed the instructions of the “Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC)” and the Ministry of National Defense to assist the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in meeting the increasing demand for mask production. In the spirit of not affecting the original training of various units, the Armed Forces Reserve Guidance cadres and the Command officers and enlisted men were mobilized to help mask production in the hope of easing the pressing demand for masks. Since the start of the mission on February 3rd, the Command had supported 44 manufacturers by mobilizing more than 37 thousand people as of April 14th. With more mask machines gradually joining production, the MOEA said that the daily mask production in mid-April can reach 15 million pieces, and it is estimated that the goal of 17 million masks can be achieved after mid-May. With regard to the mask inventory, the CECC said on April 13th that between Jan 31st and April 11th, out of the 668.73 million masks requisitioned by the government, 349.52 million masks were used for the Name-based Mask Distribution System 1.0 and 2.0, 127.08 million distributed to the medical institutions, and the remaining distributed by the central and local governments among schools, exam centers, industries, post office stock, and military stock for combat readiness. In addition, the MOEA announced the extension of requisitioning and mask export ban from the initial April 30th to the end of June.

            On April 14th, the Ministry of National Defense said that the quantity of masks the Armed Forces received has increased from 17 thousand to 47.5 thousand. Currently, the masks that the Armed Forces received are mainly given to medical personnel, guards, new recruits and those working in a closed space. It has also been actively encouraging the officers and enlisted men to purchase masks using NHI app, and asked each unit to help collect the masks from convenience stores inside or near the camps and distribute them to the individuals who have made a purchase.

 In order to show their appreciation for all members of the “National Mask Team”, Lieutenant General Jiang of the Armed Forces Reserve Command, and Major General Wu, the Chief of Political Warfare visited the mask production factories in various regions to understand the status of mask production and commend the efforts made by the supporting cadres, officers and enlisted men. In addition, when visiting the Armed Forces, President Tsai emphasized that despite mobilizing many Armed Forces reservists to fight against COVID-19, the Armed Forces did not cut any original combat training. She affirmed the great performance of Armed Forces in both epidemic prevention and combat training execution, showcasing their high spirits. She believes that all Taiwanese can be put at ease with the officers and enlisted men protecting our safety.

            President Tsai said that be it the Armed Force capability or the social development, there is still a long way to go and she hopes that everyone will continue to work hard; she will do her very best to work side by side with everyone!



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