Starting from 2/20, masks are not required indoors except for "2 places"! Doctor's advice: These groups are still advised to wear a full-length protective mask
Starting from 2/20, masks are no longer required indoors! You still have to “wear everything” when taking the MRT or entering the hospital
The Central Epidemic Command Center stated at the epidemic prevention press conference yesterday (February 9) that after considering that the epidemic situation in Taiwan is gradually stabilizing and the medical capacity is sufficient, after cross-departmental communication and comprehensive assessment, if the epidemic situation remains stable and controllable, we will On February 20, the following general regulations to relax the wearing of masks indoors will be implemented.
The Epidemic Command Center points out that masks must still be worn at all times in indoor spaces in the following two designated places. include:
Medical care institutions: medical care, medical services, elderly welfare, long-term care services, honorary national homes, children and juvenile services, welfare institutions for the mentally and physically handicapped, etc.
Public transportation and specific means of transportation: carriages, ships, aircraft and other means of transportation and places, etc.
The mask may be temporarily removed only in exceptional circumstances where masks are not worn in the above designated places, such as eating, taking photos, inspections, treatment or activities where it is not suitable or impossible to wear a mask. In other indoor places and indoor spaces, people can decide to wear masks independently. The above relaxation measures are general regulations, and relevant details may be handled separately in accordance with the regulations of the competent authority.
Please wait until school masks at all levels are relaxed! Command Center: The campus plans to fully open after March 6
In addition, the Epidemic Command Center also stated that if the public encounters special situations, such as those with fever or respiratory symptoms, the elderly or those with low immunity when going out, situations where crowds gather and proper distance cannot be maintained or there is poor ventilation, and those with the elderly or When people with low immunity (especially those who have not been fully vaccinated) are in close contact, it is still recommended to wear a mask to ensure the safety of yourself and your family and friends.
The command center pointed out that schools, kindergartens, day care centers, cram schools, childcare centers, etc. at all levels will, in accordance with the plans of the Ministry of Education and Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, strengthen relevant epidemic prevention measures after the start of school. If the epidemic situation stabilizes, they will be implemented from March 3 On March 6, in accordance with the general regulations of the command center, indoor masks in campuses and daycare places were relaxed.
The command center reminds the public that people should continue to implement good personal hygiene habits such as washing hands with soap and cough etiquette to protect themselves and others, and jointly maintain the safety of Taiwan’s communities. People who have not yet been fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus are also recommended to complete the vaccination as soon as possible to help obtain a certain degree of protection.
Will the epidemic become “flu-like” after 2023? Doctor: Unless you do “three things”
After the indoor mask lifting policy is implemented, how should people protect themselves? What will be the future trend of the epidemic? Jiang Guanyu, an attending physician at the Department of Integrated Medicine and Care at the Taipei City Hospital Zhongxing Branch, pointed out that the global epidemic this year is an “inflection point”, which means that the epidemic has entered a transitional stage. The epidemic at this stage is not as bad as that in 2020-2022. The virus has seriously affected human life, but it is not yet mild enough to be called “influenza”.
Dr. Jiang Guanyu emphasized that although many countries have regarded the COVID-19 epidemic as a “seasonal normal disease”, it still poses a certain degree of threat to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and patients with chronic diseases, especially those over 60 years old. in this way. Therefore, if relevant authorities or the public want to regard the epidemic as a “new normal,” vaccination of vulnerable groups and the preparation of antiviral drugs are crucial.
“Although in places such as Europe and the United States, mask policies have been almost completely relaxed, in the Asia-Pacific region, XBB.1.5 is gradually gaining transmission advantages. Although there is currently no serious XBB.1.5 epidemic in Taiwan, if the virus invades Taiwan, large-scale spread will cause The number of cases cannot be underestimated.”
Dr. Jiang Guanyu further explained that front-line business personnel, such as medical practitioners, hypermarket salespersons, people engaged in the transportation industry, and other occupational categories that need to come into contact with unspecified communication objects, are recommended to still wear masks when working. Industry professionals come into contact with different people from all over the world every day, and the amount of exchanges they have throughout the day is more than ordinary people."
In addition, protecting the health of elders is still an important part of epidemic prevention work. Dr. Jiang Guanyu said that the immunity of the elderly cannot be judged by previous infections. Even if they have been infected with the virus before and have received three doses of vaccine, it is difficult to guarantee that the “immune escape” phenomenon caused by the new virus will have a negative impact on the elderly. Unknown damage. Therefore, to ensure adequate immunity is maintained, it is recommended that the elderly still develop the habit of wearing masks.
Will the new coronavirus be excluded from the “PHEIC”? Medical analysis requires at least another half-year observation
In terms of school epidemic prevention, Dr. Jiang Guanyu also said that basically the seriousness rate of infants or children is lower than that of adults. In addition, school agencies generally provide guidance for children to be vaccinated, and the degree of cooperation and vaccination rate are also high. Therefore, the school environment should be safer than adult society, and children’s immunity should be relatively stable. However, as time passes, the concentration of antibodies in children gradually decreases, and the new coronavirus mutates again. Whether the epidemic will pose a threat to the school environment remains to be seen by public health. The unit continues to observe.
“Whether it is the lifting of the ban on indoor masks or the lifting of the ban on school masks, the epidemic situation of Taiwanese people needs to be observed every six months. Will the WHO exclude the new coronavirus epidemic from the “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC) in half a year? , and treating the number of infected people as a habitual monitoring or observation is actually something that relevant units and the public can continue to pay attention to! "
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