TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Tuesday (April 26) announced that it will stop requiring contacts of COVID cases to take a rapid antigen test on the third day of the new home isolation plan.
Under the scheme dubbed "3+4," COVID case contacts can undergo a reduced home isolation period of three days under the principle of one person per room. The original plan required contacts to take a rapid antigen test on the first and third days, and they would be allowed to end their home isolation if the results were negative.
However, on Tuesday, the first day of the program, CECC Spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) announced that after further discussion, the decision was made to nullify the required test on the third day. Instead, those in home isolation will simply commence with self-health monitoring on the fourth day.
Chuang said that if people need to go to work or leave their home to buy essential items on any day during the self-health monitoring phase, they should undergo a rapid antigen test. If the result is negative, they can venture out as long as they wear a mask the entire time.
According to Chuang, local governments will distribute batches of five rapid antigen test kits to those undergoing isolation. Chuang stressed that those going to work during their self-health monitoring phase should be sure to maintain proper social distancing, only remove their mask when eating or drinking, and avoid dining in staff cafeterias.
