Penghu Magistrate Lai Feng-wei (賴峰偉) announced Monday (May 11) that residents of Taiwan’s archipelago of Penghu will no longer be required to wear face masks outside their homes starting Wednesday (May 13).
The measure, implemented on April 22, aimed to curb the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and was in response to a cluster infection on the Kaohsiung-based “Goodwill Fleet.” 36 Navy officers and cadets were confirmed infected with the virus following a trip to Palau.
Nevertheless, wearing a mask is still mandatory for people visiting crowded spaces or taking public transportation in Penghu County, including onboard yachts and passenger ships, according to a press release.
Meanwhile, with reduced risk of community spread, Penghu County is also easing restrictions on gatherings in line with central government guidelines. From May 13 onward, indoor and outdoor gatherings of up to 100 and 500 people, respectively, will be permitted.
Entertainment businesses in the county will not be allowed to operate without complying with a set of rules. These include registering visitors’ names, checking their temperatures, setting a social distance, and meeting fire safety standards as well as building codes.
Penghu is among the five municipalities of the island country that have reported zero cases of the Wuhan virus to date. As of Monday (May 11), Taiwan has counted 440 cases, including seven deaths.
Source：Taiwan News
