only 14 days?
Filipinos can indeed travel to Taiwan, but thereās added restrictions and a fair few hoops to go through (the CDC link in the article explains):
I. Quarantine period: quarantine will be ended, but a seven-day self-initiated epidemic prevention will be required.
II. Rapid testing using at-home rapid test kits:
A. Who will get at-home rapid test kits and how many rapid test kits: four rapid test kits will be given to arrivals aged 2 and older by workers at international airports/ports upon arrival.
B. When to use rapid tests:
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On the day of arrival or the first day of the self-initiated epidemic prevention period.
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During the self-initiated epidemic prevention period, a negative result from an at-home rapid test taken within two days is required before a traveler goes out.
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Symptoms develop during the self-initiated epidemic prevention period.
C. In consideration of the age limit on who can use at-home rapid test kits, children under two years of age will not be required to take rapid tests during the self-initiated epidemic prevention period.
III. Epidemic prevention rules to follow during the seven-day self-initiated epidemic prevention period:
A. In principle, an arrival should stay at home or a residence of a friend or family member or a hotel room that meets the requirement of āone person per roomā (with an en suite bathroom) in the self-initiated epidemic prevention period.
B. During the self-initiated epidemic prevention period, arriving travelers should avoid coming into contact with persons who have high risk of developing severe COVID-19 (including elderly people 65 and older, children under 6, and individuals who are immunocompromised or have a weak immune system).
C. During the self-initiated epidemic prevention period, arriving travelers should rest at home if they experience symptoms. If they donāt experience symptoms, a negative result from an at-home rapid test taken within two days is required before they go out, go to work, or attend school.
D. Arriving travelers can dine alone or with specific persons in a separate space in a restaurant if they need to eat. They should immediately put on a mask when they leave their seat or finish eating. Masks can be temporarily removed when dining and should be put on after finishing dining.
E. Arriving travelers cannot visit or stay with a hospitalized individual in a hospital. Non-urgent medical services or examinations should be postponed. Arriving travelers should avoid going to long-term care facilities.
F. Travelers with COVID-19 who have mild symptoms can receive home care at a quarantine hotel or the place where they undergo self-initiated epidemic prevention (general hotel not included).
Sounds like thereās still a load of BS that looks a lot like the original halfassed quarantine rules. In principle.
Soā¦theyāre not allowed to dine with non-specific persons, is that right?
How does one get access to these separate spaces in restaurants, and does that part apply to only those dining with specific persons or also those dining alone?
From what I gather, these rules donāt apply to those who donāt need to eat, correct?
I wonder if the CECC has an internal competition each week for who can come up with the most confusingly written rule?
To me, itās quite embarrassing. These ārules/ guidleines/laws/whateverā have been astoundingly and remarkably befuddling since day one. All such pointless absurdity.
To be so inane does quite an effort. Theyāve certainly got a crack team working at the CECC.
A seemingly endless supply.
I remember the Taipei Mayor introduced some sort of similar rule previously.
The unvaccinated should avoid restaurants but if they need to go, they should use a private room. Green light, amber light, red light or something.
But it wasnāt going to be policed.
My experience is that none of these things will be policed. Thereās no indication that anyone will have to even send a positive PCR test to any authority within two days in order to escape self imprisonment, nor will anyone be watching you eat in the proper place at a restaurant with the correct specific people, etc. How would they even track and trace all these increased tens of thousands of arrivals? They definitely donāt have the snooping manpower.
Itās all based on some bs trust system. Probably not even legally enforceable.
FAQ: visa-free entry, new ā0+7ā policy
What exactly is a āspecific personā? Do they just mean people you know and could be contact traced? Are they still doing contact tracing at all?
After the 13th, can you book any hotel to stay in?
Some of these questions are answered in a surprisingly clearly written piece uploaded today at Taiwan News. They are reporting on the results of a key Cabinet level meeting held today to determine the new protocols scheduled to take effect on October 13:
Guy
āOn the day of arrival (Day 0) or the next day (Day 1), passengers are advised to take a rapid antigen test.ā
Note the use of the word āadvised.ā Nothing about it being mandatory, a rule, regulation, or law.
They use that word āadvisedā six times in the article.
No further testing is required unless the traveler experiences suspected COVID symptoms. If a person needs to venture out during this period, they must take a rapid antigen test and receive a negative result within 48 hours prior to leaving their accommodation.
So that would be āno further testing is required unless the traveler experiences suspected COVID symptoms or wants to go outsideā, then?
Whoās going to check if they took a test anyway?
Presumably no one, but at least making the rule (/advice) means asses are covered.
Exactly, I bet 75% of the kits en up in trash now outside the quarantine hotels that want to see the actual result. I have a drawer full of the tests from our families trips already. If we max out the capacity will be wasting 4 million kits a month. I am sure there is some KMT buddy buddy deal on selling these to the government at inflated prices.
the kits
This is a curious accusation to make. It may well be true, I have no idea. But one of the defining features of Taiwanās COVID response has been to not rely on mass testing. The authorities got attacked for this approach relentlessly, including on this site.
Guy
Exactly, I bet 75% of the kits en up in trash now outside the quarantine hotels that want to see the actual result. I have a drawer full of the tests from our families trips already. If we max out the capacity will be wasting 4 million kits a month. I am sure there is some KMT buddy buddy deal on selling these to the government at inflated prices.
It always surprised me a bit that theyāre apparently giving the tests away to travelers for free (unless itās somehow been rolled into airport taxes etc.), in contrast to the tests for locals that they make people pay for.
the tests for locals that they make people pay for
Yes this is related to my point posted above. They are notācompared to places I visited in Canadaāgiving away these kits like candy.
Guy
Yes this is related to my point posted above. They are notācompared to places I visited in Canadaāgiving away these kits like candy.
Apparently they do to incoming travelers, though. Thatās what I mean ā Iām surprised the CDC (or whoever) isnāt charging people for them. It seems odd to do that for locals but not āvisitorsā (although I guess most are Taiwanese).
As far as Iām concerned, they should be free (i.e., fully subsidized by the government) across the board, for as long as testing is considered necessary, in order to remove as much as possible the financial disincentive of becoming a ācaseā (if the government wants accurate and reliable data, that is, which has seldom appeared to be the case).
Effective October 1, South Korea is dumping the PCR test upon arrival requirement.
Before you book your tickets, friends of masking in Taiwan should take note that Koreaās indoor masking rules remain in place.
Guy