Taiwan’s cabinet today decided that, unless there are unexpected changes in covid numbers over the next couple of weeks, the 3-day guarantee for all incoming travelers will be scrapped on October 13, 2022, and replaced with seven days of self-initiated epidemic prevention (self-monitoring).
Taiwan also plans to reinstate all previous visa waiver agreements and raise the maximum weekly arrivals cap to 150,000 on the same date. Incoming passengers can use public transportation from the airport.
There won’t be an arrival PCR-RT test from September 29, 2022, but incoming passengers are given four rapid antigen tests to be used if there are any symptoms. The weekly arrivals cap is also raised from 50,000 to 60,000 simultaneously.
Excerpt from Focus Taiwan:
If there is no escalation of the COVID-19 situation over the next three weeks, the quarantine mandate will be lifted, and starting Oct. 13, arriving travelers will need only to observe seven days of “self-initiated epidemic prevention,” he said, referring to the proposed policy dubbed “0+7.”
If the daily number of confirmed cases remains high or starts rising again, the quarantine requirement for arriving travelers will be retained, he said.
Self-Initiated Epidemic Prevention (RULES)
B. Epidemic prevention rules to follow during the self-initiated epidemic prevention period:
1. Avoid going outside unless necessary.
2. A negative result from an at-home rapid test taken within two days should be presented if an arrival needs to go out to work or buy daily necessities.
3. Masks must be worn at all times when outside and social distancing must be maintained.
4. An arrival fulfilling business contractual obligations can go to work, conduct site visits, give a speech, or have a meeting, provided that a mask must be worn at all times when outside and social distancing must be maintained. Masks must be worn at all times when outside and social distancing must be maintained.
5. Masks must be worn at all times and social distancing must be maintained at work; masks can be temporarily removed when dining and should be put on after finishing dining.
6. Avoid going to crowded venues or contact with nonspecific persons.
7. An arrival fulfilling business contractual obligations can dine alone or with specific persons in a separate space in a restaurant provided that table dividers must be installed or social distancing must be maintained.
8. Non-urgent medical services or examinations should be postponed.
Conclusion
It is now almost sure that the quarantine is gone if entering Taiwan from October 13, 2022.
There are severe limits, however, on what you should NOT do during the 7-day long self-initiated epidemic prevention period. I have understood that this is not really enforced but may theoretically get you into trouble.
