TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan Minister said Wednesday (May 8) that he hopes to ease the mask mandate in hospitals, but the final decision will be left to experts. He added that there are still details to be discussed, aiming to strike a balance between public health and convenience.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in December 2020, Taiwan has started requiring masks in eight major venues, including medical care institutions, public transportation, markets, educational institutions, performance competition venues, religious venues, entertainment venues, and large-scale events. Although restrictions have been gradually lifted in various places, the mask mandate continues in medical units.
Hsueh made the remarks before a meeting of the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee of the Legislative Yuan, which was reviewing the draft of the Regenerative Medicine Law and the Regenerative Medicine Preparation Regulations.
When asked by the media about the recent prevalence of enterovirus and the high cost of vaccines reported by the public, Hsueh said the possibility of a publicly funded enterovirus vaccine subsidy program would still need to be decided by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The ACIP holds annual meetings to discuss the implementation of publicly funded vaccines.
