December 3, 2020
CECC provides clarification on the media report concerning Taiwan nationals stranded at airports due to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's English press release
Regarding the news report of "Taiwan nationals stranded at airports due to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's English press release", the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) explains that the term "RT-PCR" mentioned in the news report is the most commonly used technique in COVID-19 nucleic acid testing, and it is a widely used name for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing around the world. As the CECC implemented entry measures in July 2020, requiring foreign nationals to provide a COVID-19 nucleic acid test report before entry into Taiwan, the term "COVID-19 RT-PCR test" is used as the English translation of the name for the testing in the English version of a dedicated COVID-19 section on the website of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC). To avoid misunderstanding caused by differences in testing techniques or names used by laboratories in each country, the CECC has included the names of COVID-19 nucleic acid testing noted on test reports by foreign countries, which can be accepted by Taiwan, in the FAQs on Taiwan CDC's website; these names include the following: PCR, Real-Time PCR, RT-PCR, RT-qPCR (Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR), NAA (Nucleic acid Amplification), NAAT (Nucleic acid Amplification Test), NAT (Nucleic acid Test), LAMP (Loop/Mediated isothermal Amplification), or Molecular Diagnostics, or others. The Fall-Winter COVID-19 Prevention Program is formulated in accordance with such principles, and the contents of this prevention program are available to the public and can be viewed in full on the dedicated COVID-19 section.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Bulletin/Detail/HRUp1y5mUwGfw93CrTvttA?typeid=158
November 25, 2020
Fall-Winter COVID-19 Prevention Program will be implemented on December 1 and travelers must provide a COVID-19 RT-PCR test result; travelers can be exempted from such a test result under three circumstances
Fall-Winter COVID-19 Prevention Program will be implemented on December 1 and travelers must provide a COVID-19 nucleic acid test (such as PCR, RT-PCR, NAA, NAT, or others) report; travelers can be exempted from such a test report under three circumstances
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On November 25, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that the Fall-Winter COVID-19 Prevention Program would be implemented starting from December 1, and under this program, travelers shall present a COVID-19 nucleic acid test (such as PCR, RT-PCR, NAA, NAT, or others) report result report issued within three days prior to boarding the flight to Taiwan.
Regarding the prevention program, the CECC announced more details. In cases where travelers are unable to provide a COVID-19 nucleic acid test (such as PCR, RT-PCR, NAA, NAT, or others) report issued within three days prior to boarding, such travelers are not subject to penalty if they fail to provide such a test report under the three circumstances listed below. The provision is applicable to Taiwan nationals, foreign nationals with an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC), Hong Kong and Macao residents with an ARC; it is not applicable to transit passengers in Taiwan. The above-mentioned three circumstances are as follows:
- Emergency situations: for example, if the traveler comes to Taiwan for reasons including attending a funeral of a deceased first or second degree relative, visiting a first or second relative with serious illness, or seeking emergency medical treatment, the traveler shall voluntarily make an affidavit and prepare supporting documents (a death certificate, notice of critical condition, and certificate of diagnosis, and so on) when checking in with the airline and shall be seated in a designated area on the flight as arranged by the airline; upon arrival, the traveler shall undergo the specimen collection procedure for COVID-19 testing at his or her own expense.
- The traveler arrives from a country where self-paid COVID-19 tests are not available: if the traveler comes from countries in Oceania such as Tuvalu, Niue, Fiji, and Tonga, or other countries, the traveler shall voluntarily make an affidavit and shall be seated in a designated area on the flight as arranged by the airline; upon arrival, the traveler shall undergo the specimen collection procedure for COVID-19 testing at his or her own expense.
- Programs managed by relevant ministries and agencies and approved by the CECC: if the traveler comes to Taiwan for necessary and short-term official business or business purposes and has taken appropriate disease prevention measures before arriving in Taiwan, the traveler shall voluntarily make an affidavit and prepare supporting documents which prove relevant authorities' approval when checking in with the airline and shall be seated in a designated area on the flight as arranged by the airline; upon arrival, the traveler shall observe prevention and quarantine measures approved under the program of the ministry or agency.
The CECC explained that if travelers are unable to provide a COVID-19 nucleic acid test (such as PCR, RT-PCR, NAA, NAT, or others) report issued with three days of boarding and come to Taiwan without meeting the above-mentioned requirements, such travelers shall still sit in a designated area on the flight as arranged by the airline they fly with and shall undergo the specimen collection procedure at their own expense upon arrival; moreover, such travelers may not apply for disease prevention compensation after entry. They are also subject to a fine between NT$10,000 to NT$150,000 pursuant to Articles 58 and 69 of the Communicable Disease Control Act. If such travelers are diagnosed with COVID-19 and are at risk of infecting others, related criminal liability shall also be imposed on such travelers.
Links: Travelers who cannot present COVID-19 nucleic acid test reports prior to boarding
Source: Centers for Disease Control
https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Bulletin/Detail/T0kixAYVcRWUdJ8vi5Nabg?typeid=158
