Taiwan on Friday reported 76,564 new COVID-19 cases and 142 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Here are some of the new developments regarding the COVID-19 situation around Taiwan on Friday:

Free COVID-19 rapid test kits

Students in senior high schools and below will be given four free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests starting on June 6 so they can be prepared for the restart of on-site classes, said Premier Su Tseng-chang (???).

The test kits will be delivered to schools by mail, allowing students in Taiwan’s elementary and secondary schools, as well as those in the first three years of five-year junior colleges, to obtain the tests before in-person classes restart, Su said while visiting a vaccination site.

Meanwhile, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (???) said the city will hand out two free rapid test kits to social workers, educators, transportation workers and other workers.

In Changhua, around 250,000 rapid test kits will be distributed to long-term care institutions, community care centers, and 220 medical institutions and clinics across the county, Changhua County Public Health Bureau Director Yeh Yen-po (???) said.

Children 5-11 getting COVID-19 jabs

Around 110,000 children in Tainan aged 5-11, or 61 percent of children in that age group in the city, have received their first COVID-19 vaccine jab, said Mayor Huang Wei-che (???) during a visit to a vaccination site at the city’s new main library branch.

Vaccinations for children 5-11 will continue on June 7 at schools, Huang said.

In Taitung County, 50.7 percent of the county’s children aged 5-11 have received their first dose, the county government said in a statement.

Taitung County Magistrate Yao Ching-ling (???) said she has urged parents to take their children to get vaccinated, and the county government has arranged for students to be vaccinated at school.

In Taoyuan, the city’s Department of Health Director-General Wang Wen-yen (???) said 3,618 children received vaccine jabs at the city’s two major vaccination sites on Thursday.

In addition, 17,494 children have registered to be inoculated at school and 1,009 have signed up for vaccinations at hospitals and clinics, Wang said.

In Kaohsiung, 64.7 percent of its children have received a COVID-19 vaccine jab, according to the city government.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel