TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Monday (Nov. 29) announced that the Level 2 COVID-19 alert currently in effect will be extended to Dec. 13.

The COVID-19 situation in Taiwan has continued to slow down since the pandemic alert was lowered from Level 3 to Level 2 on July 27.

CECC chief Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said at Monday’s COVID-19 briefing that disease prevention measures pursuant to the Level 2 alert will mostly remain unchanged for the extended period. However, he said large-scale activities set for Christmas and New Year’s with lots of overseas arrivals call for stricter measures and punishments.

Sales of food and beverages will be restricted to designated areas for such activities, Chen said. In addition, except for emcees, performers, and speakers, all attendees will be required to wear masks even when taking photos, and they may not eat or drink anything aside from water outside the designated areas.

Violators who ignore event personnel’s advice to correct their behavior will be subject to fines from local governments based on the Communicable Disease Control Act, according to the CECC.

People in quarantine, in-house separation, or intensive self-health management programs, or who have COVID symptoms, will face heavy fines if they attend events, the CECC added.