The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced revised quarantine measures for crew members of Taiwanese airlines returning from abroad.
Starting from Saturday last week, crew members returning from long-haul flights to countries under a level 3 travel notice, and who have either not been vaccinated against COVID-19 or received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine less than two weeks earlier, are required to undergo five days of quarantine at home, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, told a news conference in Taipei.
They would undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on the final day of quarantine, followed by nine days of enhanced self-health management, including rapid antigen screenings on days nine and 14, Chen said.
Starting on July 1, such crew members would have to quarantine at home for seven days, with a PCR test performed on the final day, and practice enhanced self-health management for another seven days, with a rapid antigen screening on the 14th day, he said.
Starting from Saturday last week, crew members returning from long-haul flights to countries under a level 3 travel notice, and who have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks earlier, but have not been fully vaccinated, are required to undergo three days of quarantine at home, at the end of which they would receive a PCR test, he said.
That would be followed by 11 days of self-health management, including rapid antigen screenings on days nine and 14, he said.
Starting on July 1, such crew members would be required to quarantine at home for five days, with a PCR test on the final day, after which they would practice nine days of enhanced self-health management, with rapid antigen screenings on the ninth and 14th days, he said.
For those returning from long-haul flights to countries under a level 3 travel notice who have received a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks before and tested positive for antibodies, a seven-day self-health management period would be required, he said.
They would undergo a PCR test on the final day of the management period, and be required to monitor their antibody levels once every three months, he said.
Meanwhile, crew members who worked short-haul flights without having entered countries under a level 3 travel notice and returned on the same flight, and who have not been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks and tested negative for antibodies, are from Saturday last week to practice 14 days of self-health management, with PCR screening done every 14 days, he said.
Crew members who worked short-haul flights without having entered countries under a level 3 travel notice and returned on the same flight, and who have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks and tested positive for antibodies, are from Saturday last week to practice self-health monitoring, with a PCR screening done every 14 days, he said, adding that their antibody levels would be monitored every three months.
Among Taiwanese airlines, about 83 percent of flight crew and 57 percent of cabin crew have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine so far, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥) said.
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