CORONAVIRUS/Large-scale events banned at TRA train stations over COVID fears

Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) announced Friday that it will stop leasing train station main halls across the country as event venues, with immediate effect, as part of the nation's renewed efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The announcement was made the same day Taiwan recorded six imported and two new domestic cases of coronavirus, both linked to a recent cluster infection at Taoyuan General Hospital.

According to the TRA, all train stations in Taoyuan, Taipei Main Station and Banqiao Station were disinfected over the past week.

Measures are already in place to prevent large crowds of people from gathering in close proximity to each other in the lobby and main hall areas of stations.

Face masks are mandatory in all areas of stations as required by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), which is in charge of the nation's COVID-19 response, the administration said.

In addition, visitors to Taipei Main Station, one of the most popular meeting places in the capital, have been prohibited from consuming food and beverages in the main hall since 2020, it added.

Moreover, partitions have been installed in between tables in the food court areas of train stations across Taiwan, which are now positioned further apart, in an effort to prevent transmission of COVID-19, TRA said.

With TRA stations across Taiwan expecting to see a large increase in passenger numbers during the upcoming Lunar New Year, the administration indicated it will purchase 16 new infrared temperature sensors, in addition to the 49 already in use, to ensure the increased demand can be met.