Taiwan to lower restrictions to Level 2 on 27th July

By Keoni Everington, Taiwan News

23rd July 2021 – (Taipei) Taiwan’s Cabinet on Friday morning announced the country will lower its Level 3 epidemic control restrictions to a Level 2 on 27th July, and the Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC) confirmed the veracity of leaked plans showing the limit on gatherings will be raised to fewer than 50 people indoors and fewer than 100 outdoors.

Cabinet Spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng said Friday morning that Premier Su Tseng-chang had convened a Cabinet meeting to discuss the country’s epidemic prevention measures. After the meeting, Su ruled that based on a plan presented by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), Taiwan can lower its nationwide Level 3 alert, which has served as a “soft lockdown,” to Level 2.

Su made the decision given that community transmission in the country has dropped and after consulting with city and county government leaders. He said that companies and venues that meet the new epidemic prevention guidelines can open for business on 27th July, with more details to be announced Friday afternoon.

During a press conference on Thursday afternoon (July 22), Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung said the center is working hard to lower the Level 3 restrictions and that guidelines for the next phase are being finalized, while CECC Spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang emphasised that updated measures are still being devised. However, that evening, a document titled “Downgrade of Epidemic Alert to Level 2” with a watermark reading “CECC meeting information, please do not disseminate” began to circulate on social media.

At a press briefing on Thursday evening, Chuang confirmed the leaked documents were indeed a draft of a downgrade to Level 2. Nevertheless, he stressed that it was only a draft and that everything is still being discussed.

Among the new items that stand out is the relaxing of the limit on group gatherings from fewer than five people indoors to under 50 and fewer than 10 outdoors to under 100. It announced that eating areas in supermarkets and shopping malls will be permitted to open and that wedding banquets, public funerals, and temple festivals will be allowed once again.

In addition, kindergartens, daycare centers, after-school programs, and cram schools can be reopened, while sports teams at the high school level and below can return to their schools for training. Indoor venues will be opened to spectators and conferences, and even bowling alleys and pool halls can reopen.

As for outdoor activities, fishing ports and fishing boats will be open to tourists. However, places where it is not possible to continuously wear a mask, such as coastal areas, beaches, water parks, will remain off-limits, as will mountain camping areas.

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