CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan expands quarantine compensation coverage for COVID-19 patients

Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on Friday said it has expanded the scope of its NT$1,000-(US$35.87)-per-day compensation provided to people who had to undergo quarantine, to include those who have been required to stay home during the recent wave of COVID-19 infections because they had mild symptoms or even if they didn't have any symptoms.

Previously, the compensation was mainly targeted at people identified as contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case and those arriving from overseas who meet certain conditions, the deputy head of the MOHW's social assistance and social work division Su Chao-ju (蘇昭如) said.

When Taiwan began experiencing a surge in domestic COVID-19 cases in May, some people with mild symptoms of the disease or were asymptomatic had been asked to quarantine at home due to shortages in hospital isolation wards, Su said, hence the compensation plan now also applies to them.

Meanwhile, those who tested positive via a rapid-antigen test but had to remain at home pending a PCR test also qualify for the compensation, she added.

The reason for the compensation expansion, the health official said, was that many people at the time had to skip work and were deprived of their salary because they had to undergo quarantine due to COVID-19.

Another group of people eligible to seek the compensation are those who had been released from hospital isolation wards after recovery, but were still required to undergo a seven-day home quarantine.

People who have been subject to home quarantine from May 11 can seek the NT$1,000 per day compensation with the government via the MOHW's dedicated website.