TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Thursday (July 8) announced that the Level 3 alert will be extended to July 26, but restrictions in many sectors will be relaxed.
At a press briefing, Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that although case numbers have steadily dropped, there is still the possibility of local infections, and for this reason, the country's Level 3 alert will continue to July 26. However, the center has decided to relax restrictions in some sectors, such as national parks, museums, movie theaters, and restaurants, starting July 13.
Chen stressed that the primary restrictions will remain in place, including the wearing of masks at all times outside one's home and the limit on indoor gatherings to five people and outdoor gatherings to 10. Venue operators must ensure real-name registration and access as well as crowd control, while participants must maintain proper social distancing.
Sectors where restrictions will be loosened:
1. Outdoors: National parks, national scenic areas, amusement parks, leisure farms, forest recreation areas, botanical gardens, cultural parks, school playgrounds, driving classes.
2. Indoors: Art galleries, museums, movie theaters, performance venues (without audience), social and educational institutions, and cultural centers.
3. Indoor and outdoor sports venues (except swimming pools) and golf courses.
4. Dining venues (restaurants, traditional markets and night markets, department stores, food courts, etc.) that comply with the command center's guidelines for indoor venues.
5. Small domestic tour groups (fewer than 9 people) and film crews.
The above-listed places must comply with epidemic prevention regulations and include the following three key elements:
1. Real-name registration system, control of entrances and exits, and crowd control.
2. Appropriate social distancing and mask-wearing.
3. Monitoring of employee health status and immediate reporting of potential infections.
(Taiwan News, Venice Tang image)
(Taiwan News, Venice Tang image)
(Taiwan News, Venice Tang image)
Sectors that will remain closed during Level 2 and 3 alerts:
Leisure and entertainment venues:
Karaoke parlors, dance halls, nightclubs, hostess bars, restaurants, bars, hotels (galleries), MTV clubs, KTV bars, massage parlors, fitness centers, fitness and leisure centers (including massage services and saunas), bowling allies, pool halls, indoor golf simulators, recreation venues, video game arcades, claws machine arcades, internet cafes, mahjong parlors, shrimp fishing restaurants, and board game cafes.
Education venues:
Community colleges, senior learning centers, training classes (except driving classes), and K book centers.
Exhibition venues:
Exhibition centers and swimming pools.
