On May 4, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that the criteria for separately admitting and treating mild and severe COVID-19 cases have been changed, effective from today, to increase medical emergency response capacity. Adjusted criteria are listed below.

A. Individuals with moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to the hospital.

B. Adults with no/mild symptoms of COVID-19: individuals who are 80 and older or are 36 weeks pregnant will be admitted to the hospital; individuals aged 70-79, adults aged 65-69 who live alone, women within 35 weeks pregnant, and people not requiring hospitalization or not meeting home care criteria will stay in enhanced government quarantine facilities/quarantine hotels; people 69 years of age or younger who meet home care criteria, are not in the 65-69 age group, and don't live alone will be placed under home care.

C. Children with no/mild symptoms: infants younger than 3 months who have a fever, infants 3-12 months old who have a fever over 39° C, and children assessed to require hospitalization for treatment by a doctor will be admitted to the hospital. Children who don't fall into any of the categories mentioned above will be allowed to receive home care if they meet home care criteria; children who don't meet those criteria will be admitted to enhanced government quarantine facilities/quarantine hotels along with their caregivers.

D. Exception: confirmed cases with no or mild symptoms who don't meet home care criteria can be allowed to receive care at home if confirmed cases themselves or their legal representatives request home care and after medical professionals' assessments.

E. Hemodialysis patients with no/mild symptoms of the disease may receive home care and undergo dialysis at designated dialysis clinics or hospitals according to their local health departments' arrangements and instructions.

F. In principle, asymptomatic/mild cases admitted in the hospital should not be hospitalized for more than five days. Such patients can be discharged from the hospital if they have been assessed by doctors to not require hospitalization and to meet the criteria for being released from isolation; patients not meeting the criteria for being released from isolation will be sent back home to receive home care until the end of the isolation period. Administrative forms, such as the Notice for Isolation Treatment Release (COVID-19) and Notice for Designated Residence Isolation and Right to Petition for Habeas Corpus Relief (COVID-19), needed by a confirmed case will be issued after the hospital notifies the local health department of release from isolation.