Starting from New Year's Day, those who return to Taiwan can accompany and visit patients in the hospital if they test negative on the same day.
Starting from New Year's Day, those returning to Taiwan can go to the hospital to accompany and visit patients if they show a negative test result on the same day. Photo / United Daily News file photo
Despite the increasing local epidemic situation, the command center still announced that starting from New Year's Day next year, the "○ plus seven" independent epidemic prevention regulations for people entering or diagnosed with the disease will be relaxed. Current regulations prohibit those returning to Taiwan from going to the hospital to accompany or visit patients. However, starting from New Year's Day, those who hold a negative certificate from the rapid screening test on the same day can go to the hospital to accompany or visit patients.
In addition, starting from New Year's Day next year, non-Taiwanese people who are diagnosed with new coronavirus while in Taiwan will need to pay for the diagnosis and isolation treatment themselves. Zhuang Renxiang, spokesperson of the command center, said that relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Transportation will be asked to strengthen advocacy for foreigners who do not have Taiwan health insurance status, including tourists, short-term exchange students, etc., and remind them to purchase health insurance before entry.
As for non-Taiwanese citizens who have health insurance status and are employed in Taiwan, the expenses related to hospitalization and treatment after diagnosis will still be covered by the government budget.
Starting from New Year's Day, travelers arriving from mainland China must cooperate with the collection of saliva samples for PCR testing at the airport or port, but do they need to take an epidemic prevention taxi home after the test? Or stay in a centralized quarantine facility? Director of Disease Control and Prevention Zhou Zhihao said that the status quo will be maintained and people will ride home by themselves; the purpose of airport screening is to detect early the emergence of new mutant strains. Once strong new mutant strains are discovered in the future, or imported cases pose a threat to the community, further requirements will be made.
