In a follow up letter to Taiwan’s Ambassador to Palau, His Excellency Ambassador Wallace M.G. Chow, President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. reiterated Palau’s request to Taiwan to recognize Palau’s COVID-free status by exempting Palau medical referral patients and students from the 14-day quarantine requirement in Taiwan.
In his letter, Remengesau said that on August 10, Palau proposed reducing quarantine days to all persons travelling from Taiwan to Palau and Palau to Taiwan to five days. Palau implemented this for travelers from Taiwan to Palau but Taiwan has not reciprocated.
Given the success of Taiwan and Palau to control and manage COVID-19 transmission in their own jurisdictions, Taiwan continue to mandate 14-day quarantine for travelers from Palau. “If we do not recognize our own success, no one else will,” expressed Remengesau.
Another objective to reach by removing the quarantine requirements, is to begin to work toward a safe travel bubble.
“We cannot achieve our joint goal of safe travel bubble if we do not start somewhere, and medical referral is a perfect opportunity to start on a small scale. Quarantine-free travel for medical referral patients will be managed on both sides and will help build confidence for travel bubble we have agreed to implement,” stated President Remengesau.
Remengesau further pushed for the changes to happen before the next scheduled charter flight this December.