Taiwan Ends Transit PCR-RT Test Requirement On July 14 & Weekly Arrivals Cap Raised To 40,000

Taiwan has been one of the few countries that have continued to require PCR-RT tests conducted within 48 hours of departure, even for transit passengers, but this is scrapped for everyone effective July 14, 2022.

The country is also raising the weekly arrivals cap of 25,000 passengers to 40,000 to facilitate business and other travel to/from the country.

The country shortened the quarantine requirement from 7 to 3 days in mid-June. However, there is still a Covid-19 test performed at the airport for all those entering the country.

Taiwanese citizens, permanent residents + transit passengers don’t need a PCR-RT test effective July 14, but it appears that it applies to all other arrivals entering the country.

Press Release from Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC):

Effective immediately, cap of arrivals allowed per week increased to 40,000; starting July 14, R.O.C. nationals, ARC holders, transit passengers to be exempt from providing PCR test results within two days of their flight

On July 7, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that it will increase the total number of arrivals allowed entry every week to 40,000 beginning today and that, effective from 00:00 on July 14 (incoming flight’s scheduled arrival time in Taiwan), R.O.C. nationals, Alien Resident Certificate holders, and transit passengers will be exempt from providing a result of a PCR test taken within two days of flight schedule time. However, those who test positive for COVID-19 abroad must wait over seven days from the specimen collection date to take a flight to Taiwan in order to maintain safety on the flight and epidemic prevention efforts in the community.

The CECC stated that requirements with regard to the quarantine period, location, testing, home quarantine, and the self-initiated epidemic prevention period for arrivals remain unchanged, which are listed below:

I. Quarantine period and location:
A. The day of arrival counts as Day 0; a three-day quarantine and four-day self-initiated epidemic prevention following the end of quarantine are required.
B. Epidemic prevention rules to follow during the self-initiated epidemic prevention period:
1. Avoid going outside unless necessary.
2. A negative result from an at-home rapid test taken within two days should be presented if an arrival needs to go out to work or buy daily necessities.
3. Masks must be worn at all times when outside and social distancing must be maintained.
4. An arrival fulfilling business contractual obligations may go to work, conduct site visits, give a speech, or have a meeting, provided that a mask must be worn at all times when outside and social distancing must be maintained.
5. Masks must be worn at all times and social distancing must be maintained at work; masks can be temporarily removed when dining and should be put on after finishing dining.
6. Avoid going to crowded venues or contact with nonspecific persons.
7. An arrival fulfilling business contractual obligations may dine alone or with specific persons in a separate space in a restaurant, provided that table dividers must be installed or social distancing must be maintained.
8. Non-urgent medical services or examinations should be postponed.
C. An arrival should observe the rule of one person per residence in his or her quarantine location or stay in a quarantine hotel; in principle, the arrival should undergo the three-day quarantine and four-day self-initiated epidemic prevention in the same location. Furthermore, in consideration of shared living arrangements for migrant workers, fishermen, and students as well as their higher risk of cluster infection, regulatory authorities of respective businesses continue to be responsible for asking such individuals to complete their self-initiated epidemic prevention period in their quarantine location and not to attend classes, work, or go out unless necessary during the period.

II. Testing measures:
A. PCR testing: deep-throat saliva samples will be collected from arrivals for PCR testing at the airport/port of entry on the day of arrival (Day 0).
B. At-home rapid tests: two rapid test kits will be given to arrivals aged 2 and older by workers at international airports/ports upon arrival; arrivals can use the test kits when symptoms occur during quarantine and before they go out for the first time during the self-initiated epidemic prevention period.

III. Transportation from the place of arrival to the quarantine location: besides taking quarantine taxis, arrivals can get a ride from their friends, relatives, companies or organizations, and epidemic prevention measures for quarantine vehicles as well as other prevention protocols should be followed.

Conclusion

It would be the right time for Taiwan to scrap these entry and test requirements, as most other countries have done except China and Japan.

It is fantastic news that the PCR-RT test requirement is removed from transit passengers, considering that most destinations no longer require any.