Taiwan seems to be on the path of opening up, despite daily COVID-19 cases hitting five digits. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung announced on Tuesday that quarantine for incoming travelers will soon be shortened from 10 to seven days.
This man says 10 days is a long time to spend in quarantine, and advises others not to come back to Taiwan unless they have to. This couple also think the quarantine is too long.
Well, they may be happy to learn that Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center announced on Tuesday that from May 9th quarantine for incoming travelers will be shortened to seven days, followed by another week of avoiding crowded places and eating out. Travelers who cannot stay at home alone will need to quarantine at a designated hotel or facility. The seven-day quarantine period starts on the day following arrival and ends on day seven after presenting a negative rapid test.
But many in Taiwan wonder if relaxing regulations during a spike in COVID-19 cases could lead to even more infections.
Pediatrician Huang Li-min says new variants of the COVID-19 virus, BA.4 and BA.5 are spreading overseas and if they find their way to Taiwan they could contribute to a further rise in cases.
Taiwan’s current COVID policy is aiming for what is referred to as “living with the virus”. Most people infected with the current dominant strain, Omicron, recover relatively quickly and largely show mild symptoms. Vaccination rates are also constantly increasing. That is why many expect the quarantine period to be shortened still in the future.
Doctor Chiang Kuan-yu says the transmissibility of BA.4 and BA.5 variants is similar to existing strains, while immunity in the population is increasing. Because of this we may see quarantine for incoming travelers shortened to five or even three days.
Taiwan seems firmly on the path of opening up. How fast that happens will most likely depend on factors like symptom severity and the capacity of the healthcare system.
Tomasz Koper, RTI News