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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 CECC tightens rules for six countries
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung presides over a news conference at the Central Epidemic Command Center in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Yang Yuan-ting, Taipei Times
MUTANT STRAIN B.1.1.529: People arriving from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini must stay at government quarantine facilities for 14 days
/ Staff writer, with CNA
The Central Epidemic Command Center （CECC） yesterday announced plans to tighten quarantine rules following the identification of a new highly transmissible COVID-19 variant in parts of the world, requiring travelers from six countries to stay in government quarantine facilities for 14 days on arrival in Taiwan.
The new rule takes effect on Monday, and would affect travelers from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, the CECC said, assuring the public that there has been no cases of the mutant strain “B.1.1.529” in Taiwan.
People arriving from those countries, including transit passengers and airline crew, must stay at government quarantine facilities at public expense and undergo follow-up tests, the CECC said.
They cannot take part in the Dec. 14 to Feb. 14 program, which has looser quarantine rules and is designated for Lunar New Year inbound travelers who are fully vaccinated, it said.
The program comprises a “7+7 （+7）” plan for people who are fully vaccinated at least two weeks before their arrival and a “10+4 （+7）” plan for those who are not.
The first option allows people to spend the first seven days of quarantine in a government facility or designated hotel and the remaining seven days of quarantine at home. Under the second option, people are to quarantine at a designated hotel for the first 10 days and spend the remaining four days at home, if other residents have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks.
Currently, all arrivals in Taiwan have to quarantine for 14 days at either a government facility or a designated hotel to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19.
The CECC also announced that a new round of COVID-19 vaccinations would be available next week for people looking to get their second jab, including those who qualify for the vaccine mix-and-match option.
Bookings for the 16th round of the vaccine rollout can be made on the government’s COVID-19 vaccination Web site from Monday to Tuesday, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung （陳時中）, who heads the center.
The targets are people aged 18 or older who received their first jab of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least four weeks earlier, or the AstraZeneca vaccine eight weeks earlier, Chen said.
The new round would also apply to people aged 18 or older who received their first AstraZeneca jab on or before Oct. 7 and want to receive a different brand of vaccine, whether Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.
The appointment window for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is from 10am on Monday to 12pm on Tuesday, and from 2pm on Monday to 12pm on Tuesday for the Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, Chen said.
The vaccines are to be administered from Thursday to Dec. 8.
People who have yet to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine shot can directly make appointments at designated hospitals or clinics instead of going through the government platform, he said.
The center yesterday reported 12 new cases of COVID-19, including six people who were fully vaccinated and were therefore classified as breakthrough infections.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
