Premier Su Signals Oct. 13 for Open Borders 蘇揆立院備詢 預告10/13恢復正常生活

The mandatory quarantine requirement is expected to be lifted on Oct. 13, replaced with seven days of self-health management. The mask rules, meanwhile, will remain unchanged.

Premier Su Tseng-chang said in a media interview before the first day of the Legislative Yuan session that the COVID-19 pandemic is coming to an end. Normality is not far away.

Su Tseng-chang, Premier: “Return to normal life and open borders will take place on Oct. 13.”

The government plans to loosen epidemic measures in two stages. The country's border restrictions will be lifted on Oct. 13 and mandatory quarantines for travelers would be scrapped. However, the mask mandate will continue to remain.

Hsueh Jui-yuan, Minister of Health and Welfare: “We are suggesting that the mask mandate remains in place until this winter. The reason is that the flu season is about to begin.”

Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan said the weekly cap on arrivals will be raised to 150,000 starting Oct. 13. This will be adjusted according to the situation. If mandatory quarantine is no longer required in the future, then there is no need for the electronic fence. However, there are concerns about the inability to monitor foreign travelers.

Victor Wang, Commander, CECC: “After epidemic prevention enters this stage, we will be leaning towards self-management. In regards to foreign visitors, we will ask them through their tour groups or directly to cooperate with our epidemic prevention policy.”

Will the Central Epidemic Command Center be disbanded after the border is opened? Victor Wang reiterated that the CECC will not bow out until the epidemic has slowed down to a certain extent and there are no special circumstances to deal with.

Lai Shyh-bao, Legislator (KMT): “The infectious diseases category will be downgraded from level five to level four, so there shouldn't be a command center. This is what is written in the law. So the CECC will naturally be gone.”

As for cross-strait exchanges, Minister Hsueh said that it will be further discussed. However, the Mainland Affairs Council issued a statement stating that considering humanitarian and family reunification needs, Chinese tourists can apply for entry according to regulations starting Sept. 29 when border restrictions are loosened. This includes visiting family members, attending funerals, or doing business activities.

行政院長蘇貞昌立院開議首日，在施政報告備詢前，接受媒體聯訪時表示，新冠疫情已走到結束前最後一哩路，預告國人，恢復正常生活的日子不遠了。

蘇貞昌表示：「全部來恢復正常生活開放國境，是在10月13日。」

新冠疫情防疫解封，政府規劃兩階段鬆綁，國境大解封，入境免居檢「0+7」新制，預計10月13日上路；至於「口罩令」鬆綁，恐怕還要再等等。

衛福部長薛瑞元表示：「我們是建議可能到這個冬天之前的話，都還是會有一點維持（戴口罩），原因是說，再過來就流感的季節。」

衛福部長薛瑞元說，10月13日入境總量管制，暫時規劃每週15萬人，再視情況調整。未來若進入「0+7」，就不需電子圍籬強制管理。不過，外界憂心無法控管外國旅客。

中央流行疫情指揮中心指揮官王必勝表示：「防疫進入這個階段之後，我們都會傾向於自主管理，那外國人的部份，我們當然也會透過旅行團或者是規勸的方式，也希望他能夠配合我們的防疫政策。」

至於邊境開放後，是不是表示指揮中心要解散，王必勝重申，指揮中心要到疫情趨緩到一定程度，沒有特殊狀況處理，才會退場。

國民黨立委賴士葆認為：「傳染病這個五類（降級）改為四類，就不應該有指揮中心啦，這個是法令規定的，它自然就退場了嘛。」

至於陸客入境管制是否同步鬆綁，薛瑞元表示還要再研議。不過，陸委會發聲明表示，考量人道與家庭團聚等需求，29日起首波邊境鬆綁，可依規定申請入境，包括探親、奔喪或商務活動。