With the Lunar New Year coming up, Taiwan health authorities are calling on people to observe COVID rules throughout the nine-day holiday.
The Lunar New Year holiday is a time to get festive and feast together. But while COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, people still need to follow rules like washing their hands frequently and keeping social distance.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says whether it’s traveling home or getting together with friends, people should try not to get too close to each other. That is, they should maintain social distancing.
Authorities are also advising people who haven’t been vaccinated yet to do so quickly for their own safety and the safety of senior family members. People are also advised to keep their masks on around vulnerable elderly people and to avoid crowded places.
As to what’s a safe number of people for a dinner gathering, everyone has different interpretations. One woman says not more than 20. Another says about five to six, not more than ten. One doctor says it depends on the size of the venue. He says ideally, the space should be big enough for everyone to maintain a social distance of two meters from each other. He also says to make sure the venue is well ventilated. He says as long as social distancing is observed, people generally don’t have to worry too much.
The Lunar New Year is a time for seeing family, but health authorities say that safety has to be the first priority.