At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Su Tseng-chang received a Ministry of Health and Welfare briefing on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and related public health measures. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced Monday that the weekly cap on arrivals has been increased to 50,000 people, responding to the needs of citizens and foreign students returning to Taiwan as the school semester begins in September. Taiwan is making strides toward the complete opening of its borders, the premier said, but the government will continue to closely monitor pandemic trends and be flexible in adjusting border control measures as needed.
The premier said the risk of COVID infection has recently increased in nearby countries due to the greater transmissibility of the Omicron subvariant BA.5, which has now become the dominant strain worldwide. As a result of the gradual easing of Taiwan's border controls and the rise in travel during summer vacation, there has been a small resurgence in domestic confirmed cases. However, this is a final and necessary hurdle on the path back to normal life, the premier said, and we are maintaining a heightened level of caution.
The government's current COVID strategy still places the greatest priority on the protection of vulnerable groups and continues to promote vaccination for every age group. The Taiwanese people are gradually resuming their normal lives, as reflected in July's growth in turnover in the retail and the food and beverage industries. The premier directed ministries and agencies to continue striking a balance between the economy and public health, enabling the steady growth of Taiwan's economy and improving the lives of the people.