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CECC, MOE lift some Covid restrictions
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) says visits to patients in chronic disease wards are now allowed during designated time slots, in view of the improving Covid-19 situation in Taiwan.
The CECC says no more than two visitors will be allowed at a time, and they must not have any COVID-19 symptoms and cannot have been in contact with anyone recently confirmed as having the disease.
They will also need to present a negative PCR/rapid antigen test report from within three days prior to the visit, unless they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, meaning the second jab has come at least 14 days before the visit.
Also exempted from the PCR or rapid antigen test will be those who contracted Covid-19 but fully recovered and were released from quarantine and first exhibited Covid-19 symptoms within the previous three months.
The move came after Taiwan started allowing hospital visits to patients in psychiatric, paediatric, respiratory, and palliative care wards as well as intensive care units on 24 August.
A patient's caregiver, meanwhile, is no longer required to get an antigen test every seven days, as had been previously required by hospitals in Taipei and New Taipei.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Education (MOE) says it is easing some of the Covid-19 restrictions pertaining to cram schools and after-school childcare centres in Taiwan, in view of the improving Covid-19 situation in the country.
Under the relaxation of Covid-19 prevention rules, the use of plastic dividers is no longer required during meal breaks, the Ministry said, adding that the number of people allowed in classrooms is also being eased.
With approval from the CECC, the ministry said the easing of restrictions mean that a cram school or after-school childcare centres can now have up to 80 people in a room.
Friday's announcement came after cram school operators complained about the strict requirements still being in place even after the CECC had already relaxed some Covid-19 restrictions for other types of businesses starting Monday.
