TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Thursday (Oct. 28) announced that although the Level 2 COVID alert will remain in place for two more weeks, mask rules will be relaxed.

Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that afternoon that the country's epidemic alert will remain at Level 2 from Nov. 2-15. However, he pointed out that there will be a number of new exceptions to the mask rules and that crowd limits will be discontinued.

General principles:

1. When stepping out of their homes, people should still wear a mask


2. Businesses and public facilities must comply with the real-name registration system, take body temperatures, regularly clean and disinfect the premises, monitor employee health, and respond immediately to confirmed cases


3. Indoor and outdoor crowd limits and crowd control measures in businesses and public areas, including art galleries, sports venues, national parks, scenic areas, tourist spots, and amusement parks, are discontinued

Mask rule exceptions:

1. Indoor/outdoor exercise, singing, hot springs, and water activities


2. Individual/group photos both indoors and outdoors


3. Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and animal husbandry


4. Activities in mountains, forests, and coastal areas


5. Places where masks are likely to get wet, such as hot springs, saunas, spas, steam rooms, and water parks

Crowd limits and control measures discontinued:

1. Limit on indoor gatherings


2. Crowd control measures in businesses and public places


3. Limit on outdoor gatherings at art exhibitions, cultural performances, sports events, national parks, national scenic areas, tourist spots, and amusement parks

Conditional opening of leisure and entertainment venues:

Karaoke parlors, dance halls, nightclubs, hostess bars, bars, and barbershops that include accompaniment by hostesses must remain closed from Nov. 2-15.

However, if these establishments do not include hostess services, they can open on Nov. 2 as long as they follow epidemic prevention guidelines. This means that most bars and nightclubs can officially open to the public on Nov. 2.

Those venues that do provide hostess services can begin operations on Nov. 16.