(I) Ensuring social distancing measures and implementation of self-health management:

1. Epidemic alert levels, health measures, and general rules (such as mandatory mask-wearing in certain venues and situations, contact information registration, social distancing, enforcing crowd or capacity control in certain venues, limits on the number of participants at large gatherings, and use of dividers or checkerboard seating at restaurants) have been adjusted according to developments in the epidemic situation. The ministry or commission/council of the respective business publishes guidelines for  venues under its regulatory jurisdiction based on the type of the venue and nature of the activity for people to follow. Contact information registration was removed on April 27, 2022; members of the public are encouraged to download and use the Taiwan Social Distancing App.
2.Relevant “crowd control measures in the main tourist attractions, night markets, temples and other public locations” have been established, and these measures serve as guidelines to manage safe behavior of people at tourist attractions, night markets, temples and so forth during weekends and holidays. 
3. With regard to crowded locations during weekends and holidays, the CECC has forwarded text messages via the national “Public Warning System (PWS) for transmissible diseases” to remind the public at particular locations to maintain a safe social distance and wear masks. The public was also advised to implement 14 days of self-health management after returning from a crowded place during weekends or holidays. 
4. Continued advocacy for the New Lifestyle for Disease Prevention to increase awareness in a variety of venues and encourage citizens to internalize epidemic prevention as their daily habits. Taiwan has adopted the New Taiwan Model aiming to achieve the goals of normal life, active disease prevention, and steady opening up.

5. Established epidemic prevention measures for large scale events and public gatherings. Organizers must comply with central epidemic prevention measures and the local government’s regulations for large scale events including prohibiting the sale of food outside of designated areas, prohibiting the sale of standing tickets at indoor events, wearing face masks at all times during events unless replenishing fluids, and prohibiting consumption of food and beverages. Members of the public (including performers or event staff) undergoing home quarantine, home isolation, or (enhanced) self-health management, or having a fever, respiratory symptoms, diarrhea, or abnormal sense of smell/taste may not participate in related events.

6. Enhance COVID-19 vaccination rules: people working in or providing services in high risk environments (areas) that come into contact with nonspecific people or cannot maintain social distancing are urged to complete COVID-19 vaccinations. Those who have not completed vaccinations must undergo regular testing to protect their own health, the health of those receiving service, and protecting communities from the epidemic.

 

Important community-based preventative measures

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(II) Assisting in the adequate separation of members of public in quarantine/isolation:

1. Quarantine Hotels

(1) The CECC works with the local governments to expand the number of quarantine hotels in order to assist members of the public who experience difficulties in carrying out their quarantine/isolation properly. 

2. home isolation or testing

(1) As COVID-19 remains severe globally and the virus keeps mutating, the CECC announced that starting March 1, 2021, the “one person per residence” rule of home (self) isolation shall be imposed for close contacts to bolster prevention measures at the community level, instead of the original rule of one person per room, to ensure people’s health. 

Special populations, including children and adolescents (under 18), adults who are over 65 and unable to take care of themselves, people with disabilities or incapacity, and people with catastrophic injuries or illnesses, may be allowed to live with a caregiver who is not subjected to quarantine or isolation, and the rule of one person per room does not apply.

(2)  In response to the global spread and high transmissibility of the Delta variant and given that some contacts isolating at home may be found to have COVID-19 during the period of self-health management after the end of isolation, starting June 22, 2021, close contacts of confirmed cases and those entering Taiwan from abroad must undergo PCR testing two days prior to the end of home quarantine/isolation.

(3) In order to enhance health monitoring during the period of self-health management after quarantine, starting 00:00 (flight arrival time) on October 4, 2021, the existing measures requiring arrivals to take an at-home rapid test between the 10th and 12th day of quarantine was adjusted. The changed measures require arrivals to take a rapid test between the sixth day and seventh day of the self-health management period and report their test result back via two-way SMS messaging.

(4)  In response to the quarantine requirements of citizens returning to Taiwan for the lunar new year, the “Lunar New Year Quarantine Programs” were effective between December 14, 2021 to February 14, 2022. Arrivals may choose one of the three quarantine plans based on their vaccination status and the conditions of their home or relative’s residence. Starting December 14, 2021, heavy penalties were imposed for violation of home quarantine regulations. In order to safeguard epidemic prevention efforts in communities and the health of citizens, arrivals were considered individuals subjected to isolation who should complete isolation at their quarantine location. However, if a change of the quarantine location was necessary, the principle of “one person per residence” must be met; additionally, individuals completing quarantine and continuing to undergo isolation must produce a negative PCR before changing the location. Such individuals under isolation or self-health management must undergo PCR testing or government-funded rapid testing as required.

(5) In response to the continued spread of the Omicron variant in the following months, health monitoring of arrivals during the quarantine and self-health management periods was enhanced. Testing measures implemented under the Lunar New Year Quarantine programs were adjusted on December 20, 2021, requiring individuals under quarantine to take RT-PCR or government-funded rapid tests upon entry and on third, seventh, tenth, and 14th day of quarantine as well as between the sixth and seventh day of the self-health management period.

(6) Epidemic prevention measures are adjusted based on developments in the epidemic situation to control the spread of COVID-19 and help people return to a normal life. Key contact tracing and identifying close contacts were implemented on April 25, 2022; confirmed cases should voluntarily provide a list of people living with them as well as epidemic prevention coordinators at their schools or companies. Companies and schools should cooperate with health authorities in compiling such a list to facilitate the issuance of digital isolation notices. The isolation period was shortened to a 3+4 plan (three days of isolation followed by four days of self-initiated epidemic prevention) on April 26, 2022. Starting May 8, in principle, only close contacts and people living with confirmed cases would be identified as close contacts. Workplaces and schools would take self-initiated epidemic prevention response. Furthermore, the digital fencing measure was terminated for people under isolation. Beginning May 17, confirmed cases' live-in family members who have received three vaccine doses can be exempted from home isolation but should practice a 7-day self-initiated epidemic prevention.

(7) To protect the country's epidemic prevention and PCR testing capacities, expedite the provision of antiviral drugs to high-risk groups, who are likely to develop severe complications or die after infection, and reduce the risk of deterioration, the definition of a confirmed case of COVID-19 was revised, effective from May 26, 2022. The revised definition includes: an individual, regardless of age or which group he or she is in, who tests positive for COVID-19 with an at-home rapid antigen test kit and whose test result is confirmed by a medical professional or who tests positive with a rapid antigen test performed by a medical professional.

3. Airport Designated Transport Vehicles

(1) The CECC expands planning for airport designated transport vehicles, including taxis, rental cars and intercity buses, to assist members of the public returning home, as well as preventing public transport becoming a weak link in disease prevention. Furthermore, subsidies, reimbursements, award mechanisms and other measures are in place to encourage people to involve themselves in helping epidemic prevention. 

(2) To ensure epidemic prevention efforts in communities, individuals in quarantine or isolation should follow instructions given in the notice to contact the local Department of Health or dial the Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922, and wear medical masks to seek medical attention as instructed; such individuals should travel by ambulance or quarantine taxi and must not take public transport.

4. Given the possibility of some people being diagnosed with COVID-19 after their two-week quarantine, the CECC has announced that, as of April 5, 2020, people should carry out an additional 7-day self-health management immediately after being released from home quarantine/isolation. This may prevent patients with a longer latency period from spreading virus into the community. 

 

5. Applying to go outside during isolation/quarantine on humanitarian grounds

In consideration of humanitarian reasons, the CECC announced on October 7, 2020, adjustments to the rules for people in isolation/quarantine who needed to go outside to attend funerals of relatives, visit severely ill relatives, or for other emergencies. According to adjusted rules, asymptomatic individuals in quarantine or isolation were eligible to apply to leave their quarantine/isolation location with their local health authority starting the first day of quarantine/isolation.

 

V. Creating a positive social climate for disease prevention: