TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — While Taiwan is extending its Level 2 COVID alert until nearly the end of the month, entertainment venues where staff accompany patrons will be allowed to reopen Tuesday (Nov. 16) under certain conditions, reports said Thursday (Nov. 11).

Dance halls and hostess bars in this category have been closed since May, when Taiwan suffered a surge in local COVID infections. While new local cases have since fallen to nearly zero, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced Thursday it was extending the current Level 2 alert until Nov. 29, CNA reported.

At the specified types of entertainment venues, both staff and customers will have to present evidence that they received their first COVID shot at least 14 days earlier, the CECC said. Employees coming back to work also have to show the negative result of a rapid test or PCR test taken within the past three days.

As long as they have not received a second shot, staff should also be subjected to one rapid test or PCR test per week, a requirement which would stop 14 days after the second jab, according to the CECC.

Other basic COVID prevention rules, such as mask-wearing, social distancing, temperature measuring, real-name registration, and twice-per-day disinfection of the premises will still be necessary.