Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Saturday announced new rules for COVID-19 patients in quarantine that allow their cohabitants who are also confirmed cases to accompany them to seek medical care.
The adjustment was made because of growing numbers of household infections due to the highly contagious Omicron variant, said CECC head Chen Shih-chung (???) during its daily press briefing.
Under current disease control measures, people in home quarantine with mild or asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 can seek medical care in an emergency, but only if they can get to a hospital by driving, using a designated COVID-19 taxi, or walking.
If they cannot get to a hospital on their own, they need to be accompanied by a healthy cohabitant, a condition that has made it difficult for some people in quarantine to see a doctor in a timely manner.
Now, however, COVID-19 patients will be able to visit doctors with COVID-19-infected cohabitants if the cohabitant's health situation is "manageable," Chen said, without elaborating.
More than one confirmed case traveling on the same route will not increase the risk of spreading the disease, he said.
Before people infected with COVID-19 leave their homes to seek medical attention, Chen said they still need to inform local health agencies and let medical personnel know their health status, and also avoid talking to people on the way to the medical facility, Chen said.
Source : Focus Taiwan News Channel