Taiwan will begin using saliva-based PCR tests for incoming travelers starting Wednesday. That was the word from health minister Chen Shih-chung on Monday.
Taiwan currently uses a nasal swab to test airport arrivals. Saliva-based testing has been found to be more accurate for detecting COVID-19.
Inbound travelers will also no longer have to wait for their PCR test results before leaving the airport.
Premier Su Tseng-chang went to Taoyuan International Airport on Tuesday to thank airport staff and epidemic prevention workers for their hard work.
Currently, Taiwan is still imposing the 7+7 plan for all travelers. That means seven days of quarantine followed by another seven days of self-health management. Health authorities say they plan on shortening the quarantine period in June.