Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has initiated an emergency response to fight the coronavirus after the world's largest semiconductor foundry confirmed its first COVID-19 infection on Wednesday (March 18).

Starting Friday (March 20), 40,000 of the company's employees are being divided into two groups, dubbed 'red and blue armies.' They will work in separate office or factory areas with their movements restricted and prohibited from entering public and parking spaces 'of the enemy camp,' wrote Liberty Times.

The mechanism will ensure the 'red' and 'blue' employees of each division are segregated, so that operations will not be affected if one group succumbs to the novel virus. For workers at departments deemed 'extremely important and irreplaceable,' they will be asked to work at home to minimize their risk of contracting the virus.

The confirmed case has been admitted to hospital for treatment and the 30 employees who came into contact with the individual have been placed under a 14-day quarantine. The company has sought to assuage public fears by saying the patient is not a production line worker and the incident will not affect its operations.

The semiconductor giant implemented a slew of disease prevention measures at the onset of the outbreak. These include body temperature measurements, making masks mandatory for workers, compartmentalizing office areas and supply chain meeting rooms, keeping people in management positions from meeting with their substitutes, and banning business trips.

© Pakistan Press International, source Asianet-Pakistan