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CECC relaxes Covid restrictions, to allow business travellers
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) is lifting some coronavirus prevention measures from 1 March.
Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says the government will instead be adopting a new prevention model that gives greater consideration to economic factors.
The move means that the CECC will be dropping the two-weekly coronavirus alert system and instead will be adjusting disease prevention measures on a monthly basis when the current Level 2 alert expires next Monday.
Several disease prevention measures will be relaxed from next month.
They include the mask mandate and face mask exemptions will be extended to people driving alone or with other family members in a private vehicle, exercising indoors or outdoors, or taking individual or group photos indoors or outdoors.
The current ban on eating on public transport will be lifted.
The restriction on visiting hospital patients and care home residents is also to be relaxed, but the number of visitors will be limited, and travellers to the outlying islands will no longer have to take a coronavirus test.
Meanwhile, public health officials say it will begin allowing non-resident business travellers to apply to enter the country from 7 March.
Foreign business travellers will be able to visit Taiwan to explore business opportunities, for investment purposes, to fulfill business contracts, or if they're employed by a Taiwanese company.
They must apply to an overseas Taiwan representative office for an entry permit before visiting.
However, business travellers from China, Hong Kong, and Macau can only come to Taiwan to fulfil business contracts or as part of internal transfers within multinational companies.
Business travellers from Hong Kong and Macau can apply for an entry permit via an overseas Taiwan representative office.
Business travellers from other areas of China cannot apply for a permit in person.
Their companies in Taiwan must apply for an entry permit on their behalf with the application to be processed by the National Immigration Agency.
More details on the new business traveller measures will be released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs next week.
