Taipei City Police Department

    As the Covid-19 pandemic ravages the globe, related departments in Taiwan have exerted themselves to the fullest in preventing the virus’s spread. All foreigners visiting Taiwan are subjected to a precautionary 14-day period of home quarantine, during which their day to day well-being is closely monitored by legions of “Foreign Affairs Police Officers (FAP).” Foreign nationals are often faced however with various health complications during this fortnight, as was the case with Mr. Erwin, an Austrian national in Taipei.
 
    Mr. Erwin was a technical engineer, currently quarantined in one of Taipei City’s many “quarantine-friendly hotels”, and worked on his job from his suite and via video conference. One night, when FAP officer Hsu, Bo-Kai of the Zhongshan Precinct made his daily checkup phone call with Mr. Erwin, the latter complained of serious pains in his right shoulder muscles, which could not be alleviated by on-hand medication. The pain had grown so great, that Mr. Erwin could no longer work or sleep properly. Officer Hsu immediately sprang into action, contacting the Taipei City Health Department, who would aid in providing medical assistance.
 
It was Friday night however, and all medical establishments in cooperation with the Health Department had closed, but with the help of Ms. Huang, the clerk on duty, officer Hsu finally found a clinic that was willing to run a diagnostic session via video call for Mr. Erwin. In order for this endeavor to succeed, the video App “Zoom” was installed onto Mr. Erwin’s phone, and a specific time decided with the clinic to carry out the session. The end result was a three-way conference call between Mr. Erwin, the clinic and the FAP, through which Mr. Erwin was able to state his complaints directly to medical staff, and for the team of doctors to reach a full diagnosis and make precise prescriptions.
 
    The virtual “visit” to the doctors’ complete, there was one obstacle remaining however: how the quarantined Mr. Erwin, who had neither friends nor family in Taipei, would be able to receive his prescribed medication and pay the ensuing bill. To Officer Hsu however, the answer was obvious; as the FAP officer responsible for Mr. Erwin’s health, he leapt readily into action once again, transforming from mere policeman into a superb mix of caretaker, interpreter and delivery man. Mr. Erwin was delighted and grateful for officer Hsu’s assistance, and thanked the police for making him feel so at home despite being in a foreign and distant land.