Hi from my quarantine hotel in Taipei. Here's the view for the next couple weeks....

Been following Taiwan's success at keeping covid-19 largely at bay — 7 deaths, 799 cases on an island of nearly 24 million. Getting to see firsthand how they've been doing it.

704 out of 799 confirmed covid cases in Taiwan have been "imported" by patients who'd come from abroad.

A NZ pilot created a tizzy this month by apparently infecting a Taiwanese woman, breaking a 253-day streak of no local transmission. https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2020/12/23/2003749218

Rightfully, Taiwan is strict about who it lets in. Americans haven’t needed visas to enter til now. You also have to produce a neg PCR test & fill out an online health declaration required by the health ministry. It explains quarantine violations fines as high as +$35K

The pandemic has really cut down travel to Taiwan. China Airlines doesn’t run flights on wknds. Even so, my plane couldn’t have been more than a 1/3 full. No one in my surrounding rows.

Flight attendants wore protective gowns & goggles. Good number of passengers w/face shields

Soon after you land at TPE, you're asked if you have a phone that works in Taiwan. If not, you have to buy a SIM card so authorities can location-track you & make sure you’re sticking to quarantine.

For $35, you get 30 days unlimited 4G data. Sales rep promises "no throttling"

If you don't have a ride, you're not allowed on public transit. But you can use taxi companies authorized to take quarantining travelers.

Before I got in my cab, the driver Mr. Wang sprayed my luggage down with alcohol — and then me!

In the cab, Mr. Wang tried to grasp from me how badly things were going in LA. We passed by kids going to school. He raised his chin toward the window: "Life's normal here." He said lately tho ppl have been wearing masks more bc of covid surge in US & the new strain found in UK

Speaking of masks....They're not even controversial bc ppl wear them when they have the common cold to keep others safe. Masks are also the norm for Taiwan's many scooter riders to keep out exhaust fumes.

Also Taiwanese saw how masks helped to control the spread of SARS in 2003

Anywho, cherished talking to Mr. Wang for almost an hour. may have come off as a tad clingy. That was my last in-person convo for a while

I was instructed to enter thru the side of the hotel (in the Zhongzheng district of Taipei) to avoid mingling with the regular guests in the lobby.

A hotel staffer gave me shoe covers and directed me to another door. This was either really undercover rock star or side piece-y

Just had to walk up a flight of stairs to my room.

On the desk was a digital thermometer so I can take my temp every am and pm and message the hotel front desk through LINE. I was late doing that this morning and I got a slightly-panicked call asking Are u ok

Brought enuf clothes for 2 wks bc no one will touch your laundry (in case you're sick!)

The hotel provides detergent so you can wash your clothes in the sink dry them on a retractable clothesline.

There’s also dishwashing liquid and a dustpan & brush that’s mine to keep 4ever

130+ hotels are participating in the "Epidemic Prevention Quarantine" program, most of them in Taipei.

Think I got very lucky with mine. Found a special rate of just under $100/night that comes with 3 big meals. I'm mainlining nutrients like I haven't in years

Gasp it’s late here. Happy new year from Taiwan. Pls enjoy these fireworks set off at Taipei 101 filmed off a hotel tv

Wow this New year scene of thousands in Taipei enjoying a concert just got me. One of the performers just told her fans to “sing loudly through your masks”

Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Ctr isn’t messing around. I missed their daily morning text asking if I’m showing covid symptoms bc I was in the shower and they text again 14 mins later like ‘hello’?

When I respond, the command ctr sends a thank u text saying it cares about me

Feeling sad about brutal news coming out of LA County and the contrast w/Taiwan, which has 2x the people.

To date, 7 deaths in Taiwan, 802 cases. When a case is confirmed that makes national news. Media reports refer to Case #790 and Cases #792-794, etc https://twitter.com/skarlamangla/status/1345147997831630848

My hs bud Joyce dropped by my quarantine hotel with snacks and we laughed and took pics across Jinshan Rd. She brought boba of course

Joyce brought impt stuff like melatonin tabs and surgical masks but she has strong snack game so the stash has red bean dorayaki, choco puffs, dried red guava and London fish & chips-flavored Pringles which ok I’m game

Fellow quarantiners out there, here's a playlist of non-aggressive uptempo tunez to help you break 1,000 steps in your hotel room. (Yes, I've entered quarantine stage of making very important playlists) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6rg3o3JC9ICKa89yE4FSkv?si=NPMiEXEYTHyemfaqQddZcg

Big day. Put out the trash. Nothing like never leaving a room to see how much waste you generate. Had a bag for recyclables, another for food.

Food bag was getting rankish so I set it out on a tray labeled “pollutant." An outside contractor, not staff, picks up trash btw 3-3:30

Taiwan seems to look for every chance to do public health messaging.

After this trash truck rolls up, announced by tinkly classical music, people come out to hand-deliver their bags as is the practice.

A message plays over speakers reminding folks of pandemic safety measures

My Mandarin is a nightmare so I asked my friend Grace for the exact translation of the trash truck message. (She also happens to work in public health)

Meanwhile.....in LA, a mandate to 'self-quarantine' https://twitter.com/LAist/status/1346250747583688704