The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday announced a partial relaxation of the nation’s outdoor mask mandate as it reported zero new domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases.
Starting tomorrow, people would no longer need to wear masks in certain outdoor areas as long as social distancing can be maintained, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.
Individuals in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and animal husbandry sectors who work in open spaces, such as fields and fish ponds, as well as people visiting forests and beaches, would not be required to wear masks, he said.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
However, they would still have to carry a mask with them, as they would have to put it on if there is a sudden surge of people, he added.
Masks became a requirement for those using public transportation in April last year. A comprehensive outdoor mask mandate was introduced after Taiwan’s COVID-19 alert level was raised to level 3 in May, amid a spike in locally transmitted cases.
The alert level was lowered to level 2 on July 27, and several exceptions to mask requirements have since been announced, such as when having a meal, or when driving alone or with family members in an enclosed vehicle.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Further adjustments of mask requirements concerning specific occupations and religious events are to be announced today, Chen said.
Meanwhile, yesterday was the fourth consecutive day that zero new domestic cases have been reported, and the second straight day with no deaths, CECC data showed.
However, there were six new imported cases: two Taiwanese and four foreign nationals.
All six had recently arrived in Taiwan and tested positive during quarantine, the CECC said.
To date, Taiwan has confirmed a total of 16,250 COVID-19 cases, of which 14,417 were domestic infections reported after May 15, when the country first recorded more than 100 cases in a single day.
However, since Aug. 15, the daily number of domestic cases has mostly been in the single digits, totaling 114, CECC data showed.
With no new deaths reported yesterday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths remained at 843, with all but 12 recorded since May 15, the data showed.
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