The quarantine requirement for arrivals into Taiwan was shortened from 10 to seven days from May 9 as part of government efforts to maintain normal economic activity while preserving critical medical capacity, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Under the new measure, entrants will start a seven-day quarantine the day after obtaining a negative polymerase chain reaction result on arrival, the CECC said. Two rapid test home kits will be provided by the government, one for if symptoms appear during the quarantine period and one for the last day of quarantine, the center added.
For infants under the age of two, a PCR test will replace a rapid test on the last day of quarantine, the CECC said, adding that local health authorities will also help people conduct rapid tests if they are not capable of doing so themselves.
According to the CECC, travelers must quarantine at home or a residence where the one-person-one-residence rule is observed throughout the period. Otherwise, they must stay in a quarantine hotel, it added.
Family or household members traveling together can stay in the same place or hotel room, the CECC said. However, the center suggested that no more than two people should share a single room at a hotel.
After testing negative on the last day of quarantine, people should undergo seven days of self-health management starting on the eighth day, the CECC added.
In response to the epidemic, President Tsai Ing-wen reiterated Taiwan’s commitment to combating COVID-19 during a video May 6.
From the beginning of this year to May 5, government statistics show that about 99.75% of confirmed cases in Taiwan have been mild or asymptomatic, Tsai said, adding that the government will continue working with the private sector to overcome challenges due to the pandemic. (YCH-E)
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