TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) predicts that COVID cases in Taiwan will peak in May and plans to end home isolation for fully vaccinated and boosted contacts of infected individuals.

At a press conference on Wednesday (May 4), CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) predicted the Omicron outbreak in Taiwan will reach its peak this month and said only after the apex is reached can home isolation be safely phased out. Based on the scenario of a May peak, Chen said the plan is to allow people listed as contacts of a COVID case to avoid home isolation if they have been inoculated with three COVID jabs starting in June, when cases are expected to ebb.

Chen said the CECC will discuss details of the plan with county and city governments on Thursday (May 5). As for reducing restrictions for confirmed cases, Chen said that an incremental approach will be taken to avoid placing a burden on the community and medical care facilities.

On May 1, the CECC set up a self-reporting system for confirmed cases. Chen said that if anyone suspects a COVID case has violated their home quarantine, they should notify their local health department or local police department.

Regarding electronic surveys of COVID cases, CECC Spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said that so far, 60,000 people have been sent notifications asking them to list their contacts, but only 30,000 have provided contact information. Starting Thursday (May 5), the National Health Insurance Administration began requiring those who go to hospitals or community testing stations to provide their mobile phone number so they can be contacted.