TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) is poised to announce details of its new shortened quarantine policy and a travel bubble for business as soon as Thursday (Feb. 24).

The CECC is developing a plan to relax border restrictions, including reducing the mandatory quarantine from 14 days to 10 days and allowing business travelers to apply for quarantine-free visits. One of the key criteria to implementing the policy is whether Taiwan is able to maintain an effective reproduction number (Rt value) of 1 or less. The Rt value shows how fast a virus is spreading at a particular point in time.

The new scheme could be launched as soon as mid-March.

When asked when the details will be announced during a Tuesday (Feb. 22) press conference, CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said within "these two days." He added that details are still under discussion.

At a separate press briefing that day, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said that the CECC head had mentioned shortening quarantines to 10 days. She said business travelers will be able to apply to visit by presenting proof of vaccination, an invitation letter, and documents showing planned business activities to their local Taiwan representative office.

Wang said that those who must come to Taiwan for "necessary, urgent, and irreplaceable work" can apply for entry with the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Under the plan, business travelers do not need to undergo quarantine but must observe seven days of strengthened self-health monitoring before departure and present proof of a negative COVID test received 72 hours before their flight.

Once business travelers arrive, they must undergo a self-paid COVID test. While in Taiwan, they must be transported at all times by a special epidemic prevention vehicle and be accompanied by a representative from the company that invited them as well as a competent central authority for the industry.