Taiwan to end mass transit mask mandate on April 17

4 月 17 日台灣將結束大眾運輸口罩強制令

Only people in hospitals, long-term care institutions required to wear masks

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Thursday (April 13) confirmed that it will discontinue the mask mandate for public transportation on Monday (April 17).

The CECC announced that one week after the Tomb Sweeping holiday, there was an average daily increase of 86 moderate and severe cases, a slight increase from 84 in the previous week. According to the center, from March 31 to April 7, the average number of moderate and severe cases was 84 per day, while over the week since the end of the holiday, the average rose only by two to 86, while the average number of daily deaths rose from 15 to 17.

The CECC said that because the long holiday only brought a slight increase in cases and the curve in COVID cases appears to have flattened out, starting on Monday, the wearing of masks on public transportation such as buses, the MRT, and trains will no longer be required. Instead, it will be changed to "recommended" in certain situations.

Starting Monday, only people in medical care institutions and ambulances will be required to wear masks.

Victor Wang (王必勝), head of the CECC, said some members of the public are uncertain about the details of the new mask rules that will go into effect on Monday. The basic principle is that only people in "medical and long-term care institutions" will still be required to wear masks, while mask-wearing in other settings, including mass transit, will be optional.

He added it is recommended that people who have COVID symptoms (such as a cough), the elderly, and immunocompromised, wear masks on public transportation, in crowded areas, and in places with poor ventilation. As for other settings, it is up to the individual to decide whether wearing a mask is appropriate.