TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Experts will discuss with government officials next week whether the COVID-19 quarantine period should be shortened from 10 to seven days, reports said Saturday (April 23).

The proposal reportedly found a large degree of consensus during a video conference call Saturday between Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) chief Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) and the mayors and commissioners of the six cities and counties worst affected by the current COVID surge.

Chen has invited the local political executives to a meeting with experts Monday (April 25), ahead of announcing a decision, CNA reported. Scientific evidence and experience from overseas appears to show that seven days are enough, though the severity of the quarantine measures still needs to be discussed, according to Chen.

Saturday’s meeting with the mayors of New Taipei, Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan, and Kaohsiung and the Hualien County commissioner also agreed that testing should be concentrated on close contacts of COVID cases during the two days preceding the confirmation of their infection. Priority should go to people living, studying, and working in the same space as the COVID-infected, the report said.