Taiwan eases COVID-19 prevention measures

TAIPEI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan will relax several of its COVID-19 prevention measures from March 1, given that the local epidemic situation is stable and under control, the island's disease-monitoring agency said Thursday.

From March 1 to 30, people will be exempted from wearing a mask when they are driving alone or with family members in a car, exercising either indoors or outdoors, or taking individual or group photos indoors or outdoors.

Ban on eating on trains, intercity buses, ferries and local flights, as well as a ban on food sampling at markets will also be lifted from March 1.

In addition, visits to hospital inpatient and residential long-term care facilities will be allowed across Taiwan beginning March 1, except in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan and Kaohsiung. Travelers to the island's offshore counties will no longer be required to take a COVID-19 rapid test.

From March 7, Taiwan will shorten the duration of home quarantine for all arrivals, as well as close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases, from 14 to 10 days.

Non-resident business travelers will be able to apply for entry into Taiwan beginning March 7 for reasons such as executing business contracts and investments.

Taiwan on Thursday reported 80 new COVID-19 cases, including seven locally-transmitted cases and 73 imported cases.

To date, Taiwan has confirmed 20,236 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 15,401 local infections.