School starts next week, and parents are having difficulties in finding face masks for children. The Central Epidemic Command Center says registration for advance purchases will be accepted from Aug. 24 to 26. Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Education, an additional 10,000 international students will enter Taiwan for the new semester.


The Ministry of Education previously allowed the return of graduating students from 19 countries and regions. On Aug. 24, it announced that university freshmen from other countries or regions and Chinese students studying for an academic degree would be allowed to come to Taiwan. An estimated 10,000 students are expected to apply, including 5,000 Chinese students.

We started accepting students in stages on June 17. In this stage, probably all of foreign students studying for an academic degree in Taiwan, regardless of whether you're a senior, junior, sophomore, or freshman, are allowed to apply to return.

The MOE estimates that several hundred students will enter Taiwan every day during the next two to three months. Meanwhile, students conducting short-term research at junior colleges, exchange students, and students not studying for academic degrees will have to consult their respective schools' quarantine situations and there will need to be cross-ministry discussions before they will be allowed to return.

In related news, senior high, junior high, and elementary schools will open next week. Many parents are preparing the disease prevention supplies their children will need, but finding it difficult to purchase face masks for children. The Central Epidemic Command Center says registration for advance purchases of masks for children and toddlers will begin on Aug. 24.

At present, face masks for children under the age of eight and masks for small children are only available at a few convenience stores or through the eMask system. Real name advance purchases can be made during the three-day period from Aug. 24 to Aug. 26. We urge parents to take advance of this opportunity, as the masks will be delivered by Aug. 31, right before school opens.

There are limited supplies, which is why registration for advance purchases is required. Those who successfully register can receive the masks by Aug. 31. Masks for children aged six to 12 are available at pharmacies and health centers. Parents can purchase them by bringing their children's national health insurance cards to these locations.



考量目前國內大專院校境外學位生入境秩序及檢疫情形良好，教育部24號晚間宣布，即日起開放19個國家或地區以外的新生，以及中國大陸籍學位生來台就學，預估這一波開放約有一萬名境外學位生可以申請入境，其中中國籍學生大約佔五千人。

教育部高教司司長 朱俊彰表示：「經過我們從6/17號，一路這樣幾波開放下來，這一波開放，大概是所有在台灣的修讀學位的境外生。不管你是應屆畢業，還是在學，還是新生，都可以申請來台灣就學，都可以申請過來。」

教育部預估開放後，未來2到3個月平均每天大約有數百位學生入境，不過大專院校短期的研修生、交換生等非學位生身分的學生，還需要看各大學檢疫情況，並透過跨部會討論，再逐步開放。

而全國中小學生下週即將開學，有家長跑了幾家藥局都撲空，買不到小尺寸兒童口罩，指揮中心表示，幼幼和小童口罩採預購制，從24號起開始登記。

指揮中心醫療應變組副組長 羅一鈞表示：「8歲以下的幼幼，跟小童口罩的話，目前只有在超商的機台，或者是eMask這個系統，有實名制來預購。那這三天8/24到8/26，這三天，剛好就是要預購開學週，8/31開始的實名制口罩，所以請家長務必把握這個機會。」

幼幼和小童口罩產量有限，目前必須登記預購，如果預購成功，最快在8月31號就可以領到口罩，而6到12歲適用的兒童口罩，則在藥局和衛生所都有販售，家長只要帶著小朋友的健保卡到藥局都可以購買。