Starting yesterday, the government adjusted some of its COVID-19 policies, ranging from arrival and quarantine procedures for travelers to screening measures for hospital admissions and rapid test distribution.
The changes are as follows:
ARRIVALS CAN DRIVE
Photo: CNA
Arriving travelers would be allowed to park their vehicles in designated airport lots before they depart on overseas trips and drive to their quarantine locations upon their return.
After arriving in Taiwan, people planning to drive should follow airport signs to a designated parking lot and, after paying their parking fees, proceed directly to their place of quarantine.
Designated parking lots:
‧ Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport: Terminal 1 parking lot No. 2, Terminal 2 parking lot No. 4
‧ Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport): Outdoor parking lots Nos. 1 and 2
‧ Kaohsiung International Airport: International terminal lot (zones C and D)
‧ Taichung International Airport: B1 parking lot
EASED QUARANTINE
After entering Taiwan, travelers must quarantine for three days either in a quarantine hotel or at a private residence following the “one person per residence” principle.
From yesterday, they may move to an apartment following three days of quarantine to undergo four days of “self-disease prevention.” They do not need permission to change locations, but must follow the “one person per room” principle during the four days and must have a separate bathroom.
However, they may not stay at a non-quarantine hotel for self-disease prevention.
HOSPITAL RULES
Patients being admitted to hospitals, as well as their visitors, would have the option of using at-home rapid COVID-19 tests to complete mandatory testing when entering the facilities, in addition to the options of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or rapid antigen tests.
In emergency situations, patients would be given a free PCR test or rapid antigen test before being admitted to a hospital.
In non-emergency situations, patients should take a free at-home rapid test on the day of their admission, or a free PCR or antigen test administered at the hospital within two days before being admitted.
Patients are allowed only one designated visitor, who should also take an at-home rapid test on the day they plan to enter the hospital.
TEST RATIONING
The fifth round of the government’s rapid test kit rationing scheme began yesterday. People need to show their National Health Insurance (NHI) cards or Alien Resident Certificate to purchase up to two packs of five tests each, with each pack costing NT$500.
The rapid test packs are available at more than 4,000 NHI-contracted pharmacies and public health centers.
FREE TESTS FOR SENIORS
Starting this month, people aged 65 or above can claim five free COVID-19 rapid tests by presenting their NHI card at an NHI-contracted pharmacy.
The policy aims to protect seniors amid an expected surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron subvariant BA.5 of SARS-CoV-2 this month and next month.
The Central Epidemic Command Center yesterday reported 34,118 new cases and 36 deaths.
The deceased ranged in age from their 20s to their 90s. All but three had chronic illness and 16 were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the CECC said.
The CECC also reclassified 36 cases as severe and 118 cases as moderate. Of the 5,265,539 domestically transmitted cases recorded this year, 10,575 have been classified as severe and 13,473 as moderate, accounting for 0.20 percent and 0.26 percent of the total respectively.
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