COVID-19 rapid tests to be offered free of charge to newly designated recipients will be distributed to local governments and elementary schools in Taiwan before the end of November, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Friday.
Schools should receive the free tests before Nov. 21 and local governments before the end of the month, CECC head Victor Wang (王必勝) said at a press briefing.
The free rapid tests will be offered to more designated recipients as the nation still has around 130 million tests in stock, many of which have an expiry date of late 2023 or early 2024, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said earlier this week.
At Friday’s press event, Wang said the tests will be issued to people from middle and low-income households and children aged 6-12, with each individual entitled to five free tests.
After schools receive the rapid tests they will distribute them to their young students, while local governments will have to arrange times and places to hand out the tests to those eligible, he said.
According to statistics compiled by the CECC, 1.22 million school children and more than 600,000 people from middle and low-income households are eligible to receive the free tests.
Currently, seniors 65 and over and children under the age of 7 in Taiwan are already entitled to five free tests per month.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel