Translation Section Editors
Prof. Shou-Hsia Cheng, PhD
- Travel advisory (travel alerts) levels in response to the COVID-19 epidemic: To provide a notion for citizens planning to travel abroad.
a. Level 1, WATCH: Remember to follow local disease prevention guidance.
b. Level 2, ALERT: Adopt enhanced protection.
c. Level 3, WARNING: Avoid all unnecessary travels.
- Level of endemic areas: To provide healthcare professions with the basis of case reporting of mandatory communicable disease.
a. Level 1: There is evidence of uncontrollable local community spread.
b. Level2: There is suspected local community spread.
c. Inbound travelers from level 2 and level 1 areas as stated above (including those who transfer or transit through a third country) should undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
d. Inbound travelers from level 1 areas: If any symptoms occur, he/she should be reported and undergo hospital isolation. He or she can be discharged after two consecutive negative tests.
e. Inbound travelers from level 2 areas: If any symptoms occur, he/she should undergo specimen collection and home isolation for 14 days. If he/she is tested COVID-19 or pneumonia symptoms occurs, the case should be reported and undergo hospital isolation. After two consecutive negative tests the case can be discharged and then undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
- [1 FEB 2020 SAT] The Guangdong Province is listed as level 2 endemic area.
a. Inbound travelers with travel history in Guangdong Province should undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
b. Chinese citizens who reside in Guangdong Province are prohibited from entry.
c. Travelers entering Taiwan via the “Mini-Three-Link” should undergo home quarantine for 14 days.
- [3 FEB 2020 MON] The Wenzhou metropolis is listed as level 2 endemic area.
a. Inbound travelers with travel history in Wenzhou metropolis should undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
b. Chinese citizens who reside in Wenzhou metropolis are prohibited from entry.
- [5 FEB 2020 WED] The Zhejiang province is listed as level 2 endemic area.
a. Inbound travelers with travel history in Zhejiang Province should undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
b. Chinese citizens who reside in Zhejiang province are prohibited from entry.
- [6 FEB 2020 THU] China, including Hong Kong and Macao, is listed as level 2 endemic area.
a. Inbound travelers with travel history in China should undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
b. People with permission to enter Taiwan from Hong Kong and Macao should undergo health self-management for 14 days.
c. Chinese citizens are temporarily prohibited from entering Taiwan.
- [7 FEB 2020 FRI]
a. Citizens of Hong Kong and Macao should undergo a 14-day home quarantine for after entering Taiwan.
b. Foreigners who entered or stayed in China, Hong Kong or Macao in the past 14 days are temporarily prohibited from entering Taiwan.
- [10 FEB 2020 MON]
a. Travelers on flights from China, Hong Kong, and Macau to Taiwan are required to fill out a “COVID-19 Health Declaration and Home Quarantine Notice” and undergo home quarantine for 14 days.
b. From 00:00, FEB 10, 2020 to 23:59, FEB 10, 2020(UTC +8), flights between Taiwan and mainland China will be suspended except the flights to and from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA), Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN) and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU).
- [11 FEB 2020 TUE]
a. Travelers on flights arriving Taiwan have to fill out a “Novel Coronavirus Health Declaration Card” to declare history of traveling and contacting with persons in endemic areas such as China, Hong Kong and Macao.
- [14 FEB 2020 FRI]
a. Henan and Zhejiang province are listed as level 2 endemic areas.
- [18 FEB 2020 TUE]
a. The Japan cruise Diamond Princess is listed as an epidemic area of COVID-19.
b. All Taiwan citizens on board, including visitors and workers, should take the designated flight arranged by CECC back to Taiwan and undergo related quarantine & isolation measures.
- [24 FEB 2020 MON] Inbound travelers from level 1 & 2 travel advisory countries have to undergo health self-management for 14 days.
a. Wash hands frequently, and avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth.
b. Take your body temperature twice a day (morning and evening). Record your activities and locations.
c. Avoid going to public space and do wear a surgical mask when going out.
d. If you feel any discomfort, please put on a surgical mask, and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Tell the healthcare providers about your contact and travel history, residence, and occupational exposure.
e. Stay home while ill and avoid going out. Keep a social-distancing of at least 1 meter.
- [25 FEB 2020 TUE]
a. Foreigners from Korea have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.
b. Taiwanese citizens entering from Korea on 25 FEB and, 26 FEB, 2020 should undergo health self-management for 14 days.
After Taiwan announced its border controls, all travelers allowed entry into Taiwan have been required to fill out health declaration forms and undergo home quarantine for 14 days. Taiwan has been using online quarantine system. Travelers with mobile phone numbers provided by domestic telecom operators have been able to access the “Entry Quarantine System” website by scanning the QR Code at the check-in counter, and follow the instructions to fill out information online before boarding (or after arriving in Taiwan). The quarantine system includes questionnaires of travel history, the address of quarantine location, contact information, and so on. After the airplane arrive in Taiwan, travelers can go through the immigration examination as usual by showing the health declaration pass text sent by the system.
After getting off the airplane with completed health declaration forms, all passengers need to go through thermal screening before claiming their baggage. Currently, those who have a fever or respiratory syndromes are required to undergo specimen collection and will be transferred to designated locations for quarantine by special taxi service (for quarantine-bound passengers). This measure aims to keep passengers with suspected symptoms at the designated location until their test results come out and their symptoms get better to prevent the risk of community infection. If the result turns out to be negative and the symptoms are relieved, the medical staff will decide whether the individual can return home for home quarantine.
For individuals who are required to undergo home quarantine, there’s a strict control. They are not allowed to take public transportation, and have the following traffic options to go home from the airport:
- Drive by themselves or pickup by their relatives or friends.
- Take the special taxi, rental car, or bus service (for quarantine-bound passengers). The Ministry of Transportation and Communication has launched the so-called “transportation project of returning home for people subject to home quarantine,” while the destination would be confirmed by the passenger and the passenger information would be recorded. Details are as follow:
a. Taxis and rental cars are charged by meter. Detailed destination and fare tables (by km and miles) are posted on the airport website for traveler’s information.
b, The price of the bus is lower. Buses are provided mainly for passengers whose destination are far from the airport. Noted that the passengers should be picked up by relatives or friends after arriving at the destination anyway, and they are still not allowed to take public transportations.
After the transportation project is implemented, Taiwan CDC has arranged doctors to conduct training sessions and hygiene educations for working staffs and drivers on site to ensure the personal safety. At the same time, both sterilization at related areas and drivers’ self-protection are enhanced.
Every inbound passenger should cooperate with the quarantine staff to fill out and submit relevant information forms honestly, and also comply with necessary quarantine measures. If an individual provides false information, or with refusal, circumvent behavior, or obstruction can be fined up to NT$150,000 for violating the Communicable Disease Control Act. People subject to home quarantine but fail to follow the traffic options of returning home could be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$1,000,000 for violating Article 15 of the “Special Act on COVID-19 Prevention, Relief and Restoration”.
According to the policy of the Central Epidemics Command Center and the Ministry of Transportation and Communication, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport has adopted entrance control measures. The original number of entrances and exits at Terminal 1 and 2 are now reduced from 63 to 20. Infrared thermal imaging cameras and temperature guns are used to take body temperatures. People with a body temperature of above 37.5 degrees Celsius are not allowed to enter the terminal. At the same time, travelers’ body temperatures will be taken at the entrance of the airport check-in area of the MRT Taoyuan Airport Line, Stations A1 and A3. According to Article 37 of the “Communicable Disease Control Act”, passengers with a temperature above the standard temperature are forbidden to enter the terminal or board a plane.
Translation Associate Editor(s)
Ruen-Yi Chen
Authors
Yun-Tzu Chen, Yi-Ting Lu, Pei-Yi Chen, Yun-Chen Liu
Translators
Shin-Yi Tai, Nan-Su Huang, Te-Chun Liu
Typographers
Yi-Yun Cheng, Yao-Chung Chang