As the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) worldwide pandemic has become more severe, please remind faculty, staff, and students to avoid entering and exiting public places which are crowded and have insufficient air ventilation at year-end holidays and during the New Year vacation in order to maintain their health.

1. According to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), there is continued severity of COVID-19 worldwide, and imported cases have increased. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned that the worldwide pandemic may possibly become more severe in the beginning of 2021 and urges people to follow epidemic prevention measures during the year-end holidays.
2. As the year-end holidays and New Year’s vacation approach, gathering activities are increasing from north to south. Schools should promote participating in countdown parties through watching TV or audiovisual recordings, wishing happy New Year through phone calls and videos, maintaining relationships through online gatherings, and avoiding entering and exiting public places which are crowded and have insufficient air ventilation in order to prevent the spread of this respiratory infectious disease. If it is necessary to enter and exit public places, then everyone should maintain an appropriate social distance (1.5 meters for indoors, 1 meter for outdoors). Schools should enhance the promotion of hygienic education for faculty, staff, and students (washing hands frequently, paying attention to hand hygiene, cough etiquette; wearing a mask, seeking medical attention and taking rest at home when having respiratory symptoms).
3. According to the press release “In response to upcoming New Year countdown events and other year-end large-scale gatherings, CECC reinforces disease prevention measures for related events” issued by the CECC on December 22, 2020, promotes and enhances that the following persons may not attend such year-end events on the day: people under home quarantine or home isolation, people subjected to self-health management, people who are experiencing suspected symptoms, including fever, respiratory symptoms, diarrhea, or an abnormal sense of smell and taste. Participants shall wear a mask at all times (including indoors and outdoors) throughout the event and shall not consume food except for the purpose of staying hydrated. Participants attending such events shall also have a mobile phone with them and keep it switched on in order to receive information related to disease prevention.
4. If schools conduct Christmas and New Year events, the schools shall follow measures of epidemic prevention issued by the relevant press release (link: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/Category/ListContent/EmXemht4IT-IRAPrAnyG 9A?uaid=XMp3EvkdFNWxEOSFOp6INg) to conduct participants’ management. At the same time, schools shall provide ample supplies of hand sanitization products, shall clean and sanitize public restrooms more frequently and shall set up medical response measures. In addition to the designated sales area, no food and drink are allowed to be sold in the venue. If there are indoor events, no standing tickets shall be sold; event organizers shall keep a record of the contact details of participants attending such events, organize fixed entrances and take participants' temperature and disinfect their hands before they enter the venue.
5. Please also follow the Fall-Winter COVID-19 Prevention Program announced by the CECC to enhance and promote that members of the public must wear masks in eight types of venues with high risks of infection and transmission (healthcare facilities, public transportation, places of consumption, educational facilities, sports and exhibition venues, leisure and entertainment venues, places of worship, offices and business venues) because it is not easy for them to maintain social distances and participants can have close contact with unspecified people.
6. Please continue to follow the latest epidemic prevention regulations announced by the CECC (link: https://www.cdc.gov.tw) to implement the promotion of epidemic prevention education of faculty, staff and students.