To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in crowded public venues during the Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday, the EPA and 22 local environmental protection bureaus mobilized a total of 731 people and disinfected 863 places, including 205 transit stations and 250 commercial spaces.

As the number of people under home isolation and quarantine continues to grow due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EPA and 22 local environmental protection bureaus jointly established a disinfection task force on 25 March 2020. The task force focuses on disinfection of frequently visited public locations and neighboring areas, including: transit stations (MRT and train stations, bus stops and taxi stands), large scale commercial buildings (department stores, movie theaters and gyms), places that attract large crowds (grocery stores, traditional markets and commercial districts), schools and government buildings. The EPA also requires team members to report daily work progress to strengthen the supervision of the disinfection and ensure public safety. The task force has 3,030 participants, and has deployed 1,060 pieces of disinfection equipment and 342 disinfection vehicles.

The EPA also urges the management staff of the public premises to disinfect their facilities, especially frequently touched surfaces such as elevator buttons, escalator handrails, floors, gym equipment, entertainment equipment, tables, chairs, phones, and public bathrooms (including faucets, doorknobs, toilet seats and flush levers). The EPA also suggests the management staff to assign a disinfection team and clean at least once a day (increase disinfecting frequency if there are more customers). The EPA also reminds the management personnel of all public premises to follow the stipulations in the management and maintenance guidelines set by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) for public transportation, large scale businesses, and communities.

The disinfection task force only targets outdoor public areas. Hence, businesses are recommended to enhance the disinfection of their own business premises according to the business premise disinfection guidelines formulated by the EPA. Also, the EPA aims to fight the virus with public cooperation and hence reminds the public to follow the CECC’s disease control measures.

Excerpt from Environmental Policy Monthly, 23 (4)