On May 12, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that starting May 13, 2022, friends and relatives of confirmed cases who are eligible for oral antiviral medications for COVID-19 can have a consultation with a doctor for an assessment on the use of oral antiviral treatment on behalf of confirmed cases.

The CECC pointed out that a friend or relative not in home isolation can visit 124 hospitals that have an outpatient epidemic prevention clinic and Paxlovid (the list is at: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/File/Get/vMLMf-prGeHueyQ5TH9qJw), on behalf of a COVID-19 patient eligible for oral antiviral drugs, to have a consultation with a doctor to get an assessment on the patient's eligibility and suitability for taking oral antiviral drugs after presenting the patient's National Health Insurance card and proof of COVID-19 infection (including the digital COVID-19 certificate or screenshot of the test result page of the NHI Express app with the patient's national ID number); if the patient is assessed to be suitable for oral treatment, the friend or relative can collect medication at the pharmacy in the hospital after signing a consent to treatment and given a prescription by the doctor. Confirming registration with the outpatient epidemic prevention clinic at the hospital and how the consultation is conducted before visiting the hospital is strongly advised.

The CECC pointed out that phone consultations about assessing confirmed cases receiving home care and prescribing oral antiviral medications have been allowed to replace or help video assessments and consultations since May 10.