Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center is set to issue more stringent quarantine measures for pilots who fly international routes. That’s after a pilot who’d recently been in the US broke existing quarantine rules and caused Taiwan’s first domestic case of COVID-19 since April.
Pilots are currently exempt from the 14-day quarantine period all other arrivals to Taiwan are subject to. This is likely to remain the case under the new, more stringent rules that are now under development.
However, the transportation ministry has recommended that the Central Epidemic Command Center extend the quarantine period from the current three days to eight days.
The ministry has also recommended that rules about what pilots may do in the days after they leave quarantine be tightened. Under current rules, pilots who have completed their quarantine must stay away from crowded areas. The transportation ministry is suggesting that pilots also be barred from taking public transport until 14 days after arrival in Taiwan.
Finally, the transportation ministry has told the Central Epidemic Command Center that airlines should be required to check on recently-arrived pilots’ health every day.