TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Education (MOE) on Thursday (Oct. 6) announced that starting Oct. 13, arriving international students who are asymptomatic will no longer need to undergo quarantine and will instead follow the "0+7" formula.
During a Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) news conference on Thursday, MOE Chief Secretary Liao Hsin-kuo (廖興國) said foreign students arriving from overseas will no longer need to undergo quarantine and will instead follow the "0+7" scheme that consists of seven days of self-health monitoring. During this period, students who are asymptomatic and have received a negative COVID test result within the past two days can venture out and go to classes.
As for accommodation during the "0+7" phase, arriving foreign students can stay with friends or relatives, in hotels, self-rental units, and dormitories. The one condition is that these accommodations must follow the principle of one person per room, with a separate bathroom from other occupants.
In the event that students have arrived together, they can stay in the same dormitory. However, if any of them test positive for the virus, all roommates must undergo quarantine.
If a foreign student experiences suspected COVID symptoms upon arrival in Taiwan, they must undergo a saliva PCR test at the airport. Next, they must be transported by quarantine taxi or other special vehicle arranged by the school to a quarantine dormitory.
If international students feel symptoms while undergoing self-health monitoring in Taiwan, they will be transferred to a quarantine dormitory. If they test positive for COVID, they will be placed in a "caretaking dormitory" where medical services will be provided.
In addition, Liao said that starting Oct. 13, local students who live in a residence with someone diagnosed with COVID will no longer have to miss seven days of school so long as they have received three doses of a COVID vaccine. Those who have not received three vaccine doses are expected to follow the "3+4" scheme of three days of home quarantine and four days of self-health monitoring.
