Taiwan CECC will continue to require people leave contact info to enter most places

台灣中央疫情指揮中心將持續要求人們留下聯繫方式才能進入大多數地方

Scanning of QR codes or filling out of forms to enter buildings likely to remain for some time


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will continue the practice of making people scan QR codes or fill out forms to enter buildings indefinitely, CNA reported.

For the past four months, people in Taiwan have been required to scan QR codes to enter virtually all places except their offices and residences. The practice is meant to contract trace in the event someone is confirmed to have COVID-19.

Following an outbreak that emerged in the tea houses of Taipei’s Wanhua District in late April, Taiwan entered its most acute phase of the COVID era, with the nation placed under a Level 3 alert on May 19. At that time, the enhanced contact tracing system went into effect, which required people to scan QR codes or write down their information to enter buildings.

On whether the enhanced contact tracing requirements will continue, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) head Chen Shih Chung (陳時中) gave the nod on Sunday (Oct. 3), saying that although few local cases have been reported in the country as of late, the value of the information to epidemic prevention is too great to give up.

When asked whether participants in the Taipei Marathon will be allowed to run without masks, Chen said the epidemic prevention guidance that applies to similar events has not changed. If organizers have special needs, he added, they may apply to the authorities on a case-by-case basis.