TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Provided the situation with the pandemic remains stable in Taipei and there are no unidentified community infections, the city plans to lift some COVID restrictions on the day of the Lantern Festival, Feb. 15.

At a press conference on Wednesday (Feb. 9), Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that over one million people have returned to the city from southern Taiwan after the Lunar New Year holiday. Ko said that health department officials will monitor the situation with cases until Friday (Feb. 11).

He said that if there are no infections from unknown sources, "it means that the situation is stable." If this is the case, Ko said that there will be a slight easing of COVID restrictions in the city.

According to Ko, starting on Feb. 15 there will be a "micro-unlocking" of the city with food and beverages again allowed to be consumed in cinemas. Crowd limits and reservation requirements for zoos, planetariums, and other social education institutions will be lifted.

Campus venues will be reopened for use and rental. Schools will be able to hold sports competitions, off-campus teaching, and graduation trips.

Public meals for the elderly will be reopened under certain conditions and the organizers must have received two COVID vaccine doses at least two weeks before the event and a third dose must be taken three months after the second dose has been received. If elderly participants are not fully vaccinated, they can take the meals to their homes for consumption.

Ko appealed to the public to be fully vaccinated and reminded residents that reservations for the 22nd round of vaccinations will be open online from Feb. 9-11 and the shots will be administered from Feb. 14-20. The mayor pointed out that Taipei is providing 294,140 doses of COVID vaccines, including the brands Moderna, Medigen, and Pfizer-BioNTech, and that staff at hospitals, epidemic prevention hotels, and epidemic prevention vehicle drivers have been fully vaccinated.

Ko stressed that the city is doing everything it can to ensure people are vaccinated before restrictions are gradually eased next week.