Self-pay COVID-19 testing now available to anyone in Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

05/29/2020 05:33 PM

Taipei, May 29 (CNA) Anyone in Taiwan can obtain a self-pay test for the COVID-19 coronavirus, with effect from Friday, as the country now has adequate testing capacity, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said.

With the disease transmission in the country showing signs of easing, Taiwan now has enough tests to offer to anyone who wants one, the CECC said.

The CECC's latest announcement on COVID-19 testing followed a decision on May 23 to offer self-pay tests to people traveling abroad, in light of the regulations in many countries that require test results before admitting foreign nationals.

At the time, the CECC said the tests would be available to Taiwanese citizens, foreign nationals, and their family members, if they were traveling overseas. Prior to May 23, self-pay COVID-19 tests were available only to Taiwanese citizens making emergency visits to countries in Southeast Asia, China or Macau.

The CECC said Friday that people who wish to have the self-pay tests can do so once every three months at a cost to be determined by the respective hospitals.

According to the websites of some hospitals that are offering self-pay COVID-19 tests, the cost ranges from NT$4,000 (US$133) to NT$13,155 per test.

To date, Taiwan has recorded 442 cases of the disease, with seven deaths, the CECC has reported.

(By William Yen)

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