TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan on Monday (March 6) lifted its indoor mask mandate for schools at all levels, but there are three settings in which masks will still be required and schools have the option to modify rules as needed.
After imposing mask requirements for over 800 days, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) largely ended the mask measures for schools at all levels, kindergartens, after-school institutions, and cram schools. Generally, faculty, staff, and students can decide whether or not they want to wear masks in the classrooms, but there are some exceptions. The following is a Q&A on the new policy posted by SET News.
1. Where are masks still required?
Masks are now optional in campus classrooms, but they are still required in school health centers and when taking school buses and shuttle buses, according to the CECC.
Ministry of Education (MOE) Chief Secretary Liao Hsin-kuo (廖興國) said that when there is a possible need for masks in special fields or lectures, the school may decide whether to implement a mask requirement. However, school administrators must first explain this rule change to teachers and students and not implement it unilaterally through administrative procedures to avoid dissatisfaction among teachers and students.
2. Can I continue to wear a mask?
CECC head Victor Wang (王必勝) pointed out that the MOE's principle for loosening the mask mandate is "independent mask-wearing," respecting the freedom of students and teachers to decide when they will wear masks. In addition, Wang said that subjects that would require the wearing of masks would be set by the organizer or responsible department.
He said that there is no penalty for "independent mask-wearing," and stressed that people should mutually respect each other's choices when it comes to wearing or not wearing a mask.
3. Will 'testing instead of quarantining' police continue?
Under this program, classmates of students who test positive for COVID can continue to attend in-person classes as long as they are asymptomatic and receive a negative result from a rapid antigen test.
Liao said that the relevant departments will be invited to simplify the content of this program in the near future. Liao said it is possible that the airport model will be followed in which rapid antigen tests will only be distributed to those who request them, but he said the implementation period must still be discussed with relevant units before it is announced.
4. Will lifting of mask mandate lead to new outbreak?
Philip Lo (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division, said after campus mask rules are relaxed, the center will pay attention to the situation with infections in schools and monitor children aged 6 to 12 and 12 to 17 to determine whether there is a sudden spike in cases. However, Lo said that the preliminary assessment by the CECC is that the loosening of mask rules will not impact the overall trend of the COVID outbreak in Taiwan.
