Date

Group

Policy and/or Action

31/12/19

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Officials board and inspect passengers for fever or pneumonia symptoms on direct flights from Wuhan

5/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Taiwan CDC notified if passenger from Wuhan has fever and/or URTI

20/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Wuhan: Level 2 travel alert
·     Central Epidemic Command Center activated

21/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Wuhan: Level 3 travel alert
·     National Security Council convened to coordinate efforts from the Ministries of Health and Welfare, Transportation, Economics, Labor, Education, Environmental Protection Administration

22/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Entry permits canceled for 459 tourists from Wuhan set to arrive later in January

22/1/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     Government announced the spread of fake news on epidemic can be fined up to NT$3 million (USD $100,000)

23/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Wuhan residents banned
·     Travelers from China required to make health declaration before entering

25/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Tours to China suspended until Jan 31
·     Hubei Province: Level 3 travel alert
·     Rest of China: Level 2 travel alert

26/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Tour groups from Wuhan to depart Taiwan

27/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Tour groups from Hubei province to depart Taiwan
·     NHIA and NIA integrate patients’ past 14-day travel history into NHIA database

28/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     China (except Hong Kong and Macau): Level 3 travel alert

29/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Electronic monitoring of quarantined individuals via government-issued cell phones

30/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Tours to or transiting in China suspended until Feb 29
·     NHIA database expands to cover 14-day travel history for patients from China, Hong Kong, and Macau

30/1/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     4 million masks released daily from local manufacturers
·     Only 1-3 masks are allowed per purchase at convenience stores, local pharmacies, and medical supply stores
·     Mask prices are currently fixed at NT$8 apiece (USD $0.27)
·     Taiwan’s High Prosecutors Office starts a nationwide campaign to stop profiteering by raising prices on disease prevention products; penalty is 1-7 years in jail and a fine up to NT$5 million (USD $167,000)
·     4 million surgical masks produced per day with 1.4 million allotted to hospitals and medical workers with remaining 2.6 million for consumer sales

31/1/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Remaining tour groups from China to depart Taiwan

31/1/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Government requisitions surgical masks from Jan 31 to Feb 15

31/1/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     The Criminal Investigation Bureau looked into false rumors on the coronavirus spread by 6 suspects regarding patients staying in specific hospitals or neighborhoods or false allegations on the high prices of surgical masks

1/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Mask prices drop to NT$6 apiece (USD $0.20)

2/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Guangdong Province: Level 2 travel alert

2/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Government facilities (dorms or spare military camps) used for quarantine.
·     Soldiers mobilized to production lines at local mask factories.
·     60 additional surgical mask machines being installed with 10% of capacity reserved for children. Each machine can manufacture 100,000 surgical masks per day. Normally, 60 production lines requires 4-6 months to activate but all will be ready in one month. The
daily output will be boosted to 10 million masks a day.

2/2/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     Government extended school winter break from Feb 15 to Feb 25

3/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Wenzhou city: Level 2 travel alert

3/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     New name-based rationing system announced for purchase of face masks (starts Feb 6):
o  NHI card holders can purchase 2 masks per week at contracted pharmacies for NT$5 apiece (USD $0.17)
o  NHI cards ending in odd numbers can purchase on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; NHI cards ending in even numbers can purchase on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; Sundays are open to all
o  Each person can buy masks for one other person with their NHI card
o  Children’s masks are reserved for aged 12 and younger
·     3,000 Chunghwa Post (state-run agency) workers of the 7,000 on duty each day will take over logistics of distributing masks to 6,515 pharmacies and 52 health centers. Each location will have 200 adult face masks and 50 children face masks every day.
·     Engineers with the Digital Minister develop an app for the public to see pharmacies’ mask stocks
·     500,000 children’s masks distributed to private kindergartens for free
·     Taipei to punish claw machine operators who sell masks and disinfectants

4/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     NHIA allows foreigners without NHI cards to use passports to purchase masks unless they are on a tourist visa

5/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Zhejiang province: Level 2 travel alert
·     Cruise ships with suspected cases in past 28 days are banned
·     Cruise ships with previous dockings in China, Hong Kong, or Macau in past 14 days are banned

5/2/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     Public servants given 14-days of unpaid leave to care for children under 12 if reason is due to coronavirus between Feb 11-24

6/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Tours to Hong Kong and Macau suspended until Feb 29
·     Chinese nationals are banned
·     All international cruise ships are banned
·     Contacts traced for Diamond Princess cruise ship passengers who disembarked in Taiwan on Jan 31

7/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Foreign nationals with travel to China, Hong Kong, or Macau in the past 14-days are banned
·     Foreigners must see an immigration officer and cannot use e-Gate (quick entry)
·     Couple fined NT$300,000 (USD $10,000) for breaking 14-day home quarantine rule

8/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     128 passengers on SuperStar Aquarius cruise ship tested within one day and all were negative for the coronavirus

9/2/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     Taiwanese national in Japan prosecuted for spreading rumors that cyanide can ward off the coronavirus

10/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Tours to or transiting in China suspended until Apr 30
·     Tours to or transiting in Hong Kong or Macau suspended until March 31
·     Most passenger flights from Taiwan to China suspended from Feb 10-April 29 (except flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Xiamen, and
Chengdu airports)

11/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Most residents of Hong Kong and Macau are banned
·     Hong Kong and Macau: Level 3 travel alert
·     Singapore: Level 2 travel alert
·     Thailand: Level 1 travel alert
·     Travelers entering Taiwan must complete an accurate health declaration form or be fined up to NT$150,000 (USD $5,000)

11/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Government invested NT$200M (USD $6.66 million) to purchase equipment and add production lines
·     1,800+ Army Reserve troops have aided in mask production across 28 manufacturers

11/2/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     Criminal Investigation Bureau questioned suspects on spreading a rumor of a toilet paper shortage due to face mask production, sparking a toilet paper panic

12/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Government declared that violators of home isolation regulations will be fined up to NT$300,000 (USD $10,000); violators of home quarantine regulations will be fined up to NT$150,000 (USD $5,000)
·     Cases of severe influenza that tested negative for influenza since Jan 31 to be retested for COVID-19

13/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Taiwanese nationals from MS Westerdam will return to Taiwan and be quarantined immediately
·     Foreigners on cruise ship MS Westerdam are not allowed to enter or transfer in Taiwan

13/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Export ban on face masks extended until April 30
·     Government requisitioning of surgical masks extended until April 30

13/2/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     NT$60 billion (USD $2 billion) allocated for businesses affected by the epidemic

14/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Taipei City Government tracks down 3 Hong Kong visitors who disappeared for almost a week without undergoing quarantine. Each fined NT$70,000 (USD $2,350) and transferred to specially assigned quarters for medical isolation.
·     Entry Quarantine System launched to fill out health declaration form electronically and allow for faster immigration clearance

15/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Japan: Level 1 travel alert
·     Taipei City Government publishes names of two Taiwanese women and one man of unclear nationality who could not be found after instructed to undergo home quarantine

16/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     NHIA database expanded to cover 30-day travel history for travelers from or transited through China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and Thailand
·     Expanded community-based surveillance measures:
o  Individuals with foreign travel history in the past 14-days and had contact with travelers exhibiting fever or respiratory symptoms with suspected cause from COVID-19
o  Clusters of cases with fever or respiratory symptoms
o  Pneumonia cases with symptoms without improvement after 3 days of antibiotic therapy, cluster of pneumonia cases, or healthcare workers with
pneumonia

16/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Masks are now also available for purchase at 303 local district public health centers

17/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Travelers arriving with fever or respiratory symptoms will have sample taken

17/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Daily testing capacity for COVID-19 is approximately 1,300 samples
·     Daily mask output is 5 million masks; sellers now allotted 400 masks a day

18/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Taiwanese passengers on Diamond Princess cruise ship returning to Taiwan must use charter flight arranged by the CECC and be quarantined
·     All hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies have access to patients’ travel histories

19/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Tours to or transiting through Hong Kong or Macau suspended until April 30

19/2/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     CECC coordinated with the Environmental Protection Administration, the Ministry of Education, and local environmental protection departments to disinfect public spaces around schools and school areas open to the public during winter break
·     Ministry of Education oversaw commissioning of licensed companies to disinfect universities and colleges
·     The Ministry of Education announced student absences due to fever or respiratory symptoms will not count on students’ attendance records
·     Ministry of Transportation and Communications set cleaning standards for school buses, Taiwan High Speed Rail, Taiwan Railways, tour buses, and taxis

20/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     South Korea: Level 1 travel alert

20/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Children eligible for 4 face masks every week due to increased production

21/2/20

Actions on Communications and Politics

·     Ministry of Education guidelines for suspension of classes due to confirmed coronavirus cases:
o  If 1+ in a class (student or teacher) at the K-9 level diagnosed with COVID-19, class is suspended for 14 days
o  If 2+ cases in a school, school is closed for 14 days
o  If one-third of schools in a township, city, or district are shut down, all others are closed
o  If a student or teacher is diagnosed in a high school, college, or university, all classes they attend or teach is suspended for 14 days
o  If 2+ cases of COVID-19 in an institution at any level, it will close for 14 days
·     Ministry of Labor to provide financial assistance to workers furloughed due to COVID-19 and receive up to NT$18,960 a month (USD $630) in subsidies.

22/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Japan: Level 2 travel alert
·     South Korea: Level 2 travel alert

22/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     19 Taiwanese nationals from cruise ship Diamond Princess return to Taiwan and were quarantined immediately

22/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Government allocates masks to retailers and sets price limit of 50 masks at NT$300 (USD $10)
·     Ministries of Health and Welfare promote quarantine efforts and setup notification mechanism through travel agents and tour guides
·     Ministry of Economic Affairs lists daily local mask manufacturing capability at 2.44 million units which surpasses the local demand of 1.3 million per day

22/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Maximum age for children’s masks raised to 13

23/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     Italy: Level 1 travel alert
·     Iran: Level 1 travel alert
·     Healthcare professionals banned from overseas travel

23/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     6.45 million surgical masks distributed to K-12 schools and after-school institutions before spring semester starts along with 25,000 forehead thermometers and 84,000 liters of alcohol-based sanitizers

24/2/20

Actions on Border Control, Travel Restrictions, and Case Finding

·     South Korea: Level 3 travel alert
·     Healthcare professionals travel ban amended to level 3 alert locations (China, Hong Kong, and Macau). Approval needed for level 1 and 2 locations
·     Travelers with history of travel to China, Hong Kong, and Macau subject to home quarantine for 14 days from arrival date
·     Travelers arriving from countries with level 1 and 2 travel warnings subject to 14-day self-health management
·     Foreign nationals arriving from South Korea subject to 14-day home quarantine starting Feb 25
·     Taiwanese nationals arriving from South Korea subject to 14-day self-health management starting Feb 26

24/2/20

Actions on Resource Allocation

·     Testing of COVID-19 to take place at Taiwan CDC or eight designated hospitals
·     Export ban on disposable surgical masks until Feb 23
·     Outbound travelers can only take up to 250 masks
·     Violation of the ban results in confiscation and a fine of 3 times the masks’ value