Focus Taiwan
Date: 02/05/2020
By: Chen Wei-ting and Matthew Mazzetta

Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) Foreign nationals living in Taiwan will be able to use their national health insurance (NHI) cards or other forms of ID to obtain surgical face masks under a new rationing system that takes effect Thursday at 9 a.m., the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) said Wednesday.

Foreign nationals who do not have an NHI card can present a valid Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) or entry permit to purchase the masks, the health agency said.

In a press release, the NHIA offered clarification on its policy toward the roughly 50,000 foreign nationals in Taiwan who do not have NHI cards, a matter that was not addressed when the government announced the initial version of its rationing plan Monday.

On Tuesday, the Health and Welfare Ministry told CNA that a plan was still being worked out for foreign nationals without NHI coverage.    [FULL  STORY]