TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The government on Monday (Nov. 1) announced its plan to reduce the mandatory quarantine in epidemic prevention hotels to 10 days during the Lunar New Year and allow returnees to stay in their homes for the last four days of their quarantine.

The deputy chief of the CECC, Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥), on Monday announced that as the domestic outbreak has ebbed and the vaccination rate in some countries increased, the center will reduce the number of days returning Taiwanese must spend in epidemic prevention hotels. Although the mandatory quarantine of 14 days and seven days of self-health monitoring will remain in place, from Dec. 14 to Feb. 14 returnees will be able to stay in their homes for the last four days of their quarantine.

The Mainland Affairs Council and Overseas Community Affairs Council estimate that 40,000 people will be returning to Taiwan during the holiday. Although the original plan called for shortening quarantines in epidemic prevention hotels starting on Jan. 1, the CECC has opted to trim the required stay starting Dec. 14.

Chen emphasized that people arriving from high-risk counties must continue to undergo the full 14 days in an epidemic prevention hotel. He said the CECC currently categorizes three countries as high-risk: India, the U.K., and Myanmar.

Travelers arriving from the countries not on the list can opt to have their stay in epidemic prevention hotels lowered to 10 days. Also starting on Dec. 14, family members traveling together can stay in the same quarantine quarters.

Chen stressed that because the epidemic prevention hotel rooms are small, the CECC recommends that no more than two family members stay together in the same room. The CECC will maintain its principle of one person per household for home quarantine once people return home.

However, if family members living in the same household have completed two doses of a vaccine schedule at least 14 days prior, they can be divided into one person per room within the same home. Those who travel together and stay in the same room while in the hotel can also stay in the same room while finishing their quarantine at home.

As for testing, Chen said that inbound passengers must undergo PCR testing when entering the country and again on the ninth or 10th day of quarantine. If the result of the second test is negative, Chen said that starting on the 11th day of quarantine (11th day of entry from abroad), if they test negative, they can take an epidemic prevention taxi to their home or residence of their relative/friend to undergo quarantine from the 11th to the 14th day since arriving.

A final PCR test will be administered one day before the end of their home quarantine period. While undergoing the subsequent self-health monitoring, there will be no need to conduct a home rapid antigen test on the sixth or seventh day.

The following are the key points of the new quarantine plan for Dec. 14 to Feb. 14:

People arriving from high-risk countries must spend all 14 days at an epidemic prevention hotel.

People arriving from medium- to low-risk countries can spend 10 days in a hotel and four days at home.

One person per room, except in cases of relatives who traveled together

The last four days can be spent at home with one person per household or one person per room if family members are fully vaccinated.

Testing measures for medium- to low-risk countries.

PCR test when entering country.

PCR test on 9th or 10th day of quarantine.

People with a negative test result can stay at home or residence of friends or family starting on 11th day.

PCR test to be taken one day before end of home quarantine. No further testing is required during seven-day of self-health monitoring.