Taiwan will soon further relax COVID-19 restrictions. That’s according to new guidelines issued by epidemic authorities that are to take effect starting February 7.
Authorities say that as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to subside around the world, the new guidelines will remove rapid test requirements for all international arrivals and close contacts of domestic COVID-19 cases. Now international arrivals and close contacts only have to test if they are showing symptoms.
The new guidelines also say travelers coming from China will no longer have to show a negative COVID test before flying to Taiwan. Authorities say that’s because the arrivals from China have an average COVID-positive rate below 2%.
Meanwhile, Japan is planning on lowering COVID-19’s classification in May, downgrading it to the same level as the seasonal flu. Epidemic authority spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) says Taiwan may do the same, and authorities are working towards a reclassification in May or June.