The command center announced today that starting from the 20th of this month, the second phase of indoor mask exemption measures will be relaxed, but there are still a few places such as hospitals and public transportation systems that are still required to wear masks.

(Picture provided by Command Center)

[Reporter Wu Liangyi/Taipei Report] The Central Epidemic Command Center announced today that the second phase of indoor mask exemption measures will be relaxed from the 20th of this month, but there are still a few places such as hospitals and public transportation systems that are still mandatory to wear masks; experts remind However, it is still recommended to wear a mask in places with higher risks, such as where there are elderly people or children under 5 living together at home.

Hong Ziren, deputy director of Xinguang Hospital and adjunct associate professor of Yangming Jiaotong University Medical Administration, pointed out that among the three categories of indoor mask orders, the implementation of the "recommendation" level is the most urgently needed. Through this epidemic, it is hoped that the public can develop good public health habits. It is mentioned in the recommendation level that if you find yourself uncomfortable or there are vulnerable groups in your family, you should wear a mask to protect yourself and your family.

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Hong Ziren said that this measure of recommending wearing masks is not only applicable during the local epidemic period, but also applicable to respiratory infectious diseases in the future, so now we specifically call on the public to implement the "timing of recommending wearing masks".

The second phase of mask loosening is expected to be implemented on February 20th. Mask loosening is divided into three levels: "mandatory", "voluntary" and "suggested". Places with a high risk of infection, such as photography and public transportation, will be listed as mandatory wearing of masks, while other general places will be classified as "self-wearing".

In the "recommendation" level, the first is "people with fever or respiratory symptoms are recommended to wear masks indoors and outdoors"; Wear a mask to protect the vulnerable members of the family, especially the elderly who have not received the full three doses of the vaccine.”

Hong Ziren said that recently, it has also been found that the age group of infected people has gradually moved upwards. Although the number of confirmed cases per day falls below 20,000, because they were infected by young and middle-aged people in the past, there are fewer patients who become moderately or severely ill after diagnosis. , but now the age group of the infected group has increased, and the risk of the elderly has greatly increased.

In addition, 2/3 of the recent death cases are people who have not been vaccinated at all. Hong Ziren said that it is speculated that in the past 3 years, he has maintained a high level of vigilance and tight defense, so he can avoid the local epidemic. However, the intensity of epidemic prevention has been gradually relaxed recently. Careful elderly people may also be infected in this wave. The risk is higher than that of the young and middle-aged people. Therefore, the relaxation of the mask order definitely does not mean that the public must give up masks for epidemic prevention. As long as they feel uneasy, they should still wear them.

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