Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital

On March 23, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that the government-funded regular COVID-19 rapid testing measures for all residential care institutions will be adjusted. Effective March 27, the regular rapid testing measures for residential care institutions for the physically or mentally disabled as well as residential care facilities and group homes for children and youth will be discontinued, and rapid testing will only be given if any individual in these institutions experiences symptoms. However, regular rapid testing remains in place in residential long-term care facilities, senior welfare institutions, residential psychiatric rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and psychiatric services institutions, and veterans home, where the frequency of rapid tests will remain the same: once every week for care recipients. The government-funded regular rapid testing measures in these institutions will be extended until April 30, 2023. Care recipients will take a rapid test every week. (one test each week for persons with mental or physical disabilities, persons with dementia, and people aged 2-18, and no tests for children under 2 years of age). They need to take a rapid test if symptoms develop, while individuals under two years of age will receive a PCR test if symptoms develop. Individuals who test positive should seek telemedicine consultations with designated healthcare facilities which then should assist these individuals in following the instructions on isolation or treatment pursuant to relevant guidelines. Staff at such institutions need to take rapid tests if they experience symptoms. Furthermore, if institutions deem it necessary to give staff a COVID-19 test (due to their history of contact or cluster), they should offer government-funded rapid tests to their staff. Residents or care recipients and staff who have recovered from COVID-19 are exempted from testing within three months. The rules for how often rapid tests are performed will be adjusted in due course based on the pandemic situation.