TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The head of the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) stated that Taiwan's mask mandate could be phased out as soon as November if the pandemic continues to subside.
In an interview with Mirror Media published on Tuesday (Sept. 27), CECC head Victor Wang (王必勝) said that the center is observing the way in which other countries phased out their mask regulations in determining how to end Taiwan's mask rules. Wang pointed out that Singapore had first ended outdoor mask requirements before ending indoor requirements, while the U.S. adopted non-mandatory "recommendations" for mask wearing when using mass transit or in high-infection areas.
Currently, the CECC enforces a principle of "wearing a mask at all times when going out, with a few exceptions." Wang said that in the future, the mask rules could be eased in stages.
First, the rules will be changed to "you don't need to wear a mask all the time when going out, except in some places," said Wang. In the future, Wang said that the next stage could involve changing the regulations to "recommendations."
As for the timetable for loosening mask laws, Wang said that if the outbreak stabilizes and there is a low rate of prevalence, the mask rules could be reviewed as soon as November. When asked about the timeline for easing mask regulations, Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, told the media on Tuesday that as BA.5 cases are still at their peak, no adjustments will be made in the next few weeks, and he is not yet certain about the November timeframe.
However, Wang pointed out that the fall equinox passed on Sept. 23, and with colder weather, the flu season runs roughly from the start of fall and the end of spring. He said that scholars and experts are concerned that if the flu season overlaps with the Omicron outbreak, people could be infected with both at the same time, making the symptoms even more severe.
Therefore, Wang said that this year's flu vaccine inoculations will start on Oct. 1 and the CECC appeals to everyone to take both the flu shot and the newest round of the COVID vaccine. Wang stated that the two shots can be taken simultaneously with "one shot on the left and one shot on the right."
