Department of Health, Taipei City Government

The Central Epidemic Command Center announced the relaxation of the in-door mask mandate on February 20 of 2023, with the exception of in-door spaces for medical care institutions, public transports and designated vehicles. Cooperating with the policy, the Department of Health, Taipei City Government continues to request medical institutions to enforce infection control measures and for public transport operators to maintain vehicle sterilization. As the organization of large events have gradually resumed, the Department of Health recommends to keep wearing masks in following locations or situations: crowded places where proper social distancing cannot be maintained or places with poor ventilation; frequent close contact with elders and immune-weakened individuals; when elders or immune-weakened individuals are going outside and individuals with fever or respiratory way symptoms.

Although the mask mandate is gradually being relaxed, Taipei City maintains close monitoring of the pandemic development and completes various preparations in response to changes in the pandemic status. The measures include the following: the Taipei’s Vaccination Booking System and special hospital outpatient clinical services remain open for vaccination; maintains a 2 months or more inventory stock on pandemic prevention supplies such as the oral anti-viral drugs Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, home-use rapid screening kits, N95 masks, surgical masks and water-proof isolation gowns; maintains a 37% or more empty dedicated hospital bed rate and ready to adjust to pandemic development; maintains an 86.7% or more empty bed rate for quarantine stations; all home care centers of the 12 Districts of Taipei City continue to provide supportive services and assistance during the quarantine periods and to continue with care and referral follow-up of confirmed diagnosis cases, allowing citizens to maintain a normal life.

As the new semester for schools below the high school and vocational school levels, universities and colleges will soon begin, the Department of Education and the Department of Environmental Protection, Taipei City Government have intensified the sterilization and sanitation of school campus environments, as well as reminding faculty staff and students to maintain good health management. If citizens are experiencing fever and respiratory way symptoms, please refrain from going to work or classes to avoid cluster infection. The Department of Health urges citizens to receive full COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as possible, and to enforce personal hygienic habits by washing or sanitizing hands frequently; citizens with suspected symptoms such as fever, respiratory way symptoms, diarrhea, abnormal smell or taste are advised conduct rapid-screening as soon as possible; citizens on self-pandemic prevention or self-health management are advised to wear masks when going to public places.