Premier Su Tseng-chang on Thursday said Taiwan has managed to slow the rise in new COVID-19 cases overall, with fewer imported cases this week and only sporadic instances of local transmission. This was by no means an easy feat. Speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting after a briefing by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the outbreak and Taiwan's response, the premier called on the nation to remain unified in the fight as Taiwan prepares for a third wave of coronavirus infections.
As Taiwan celebrated an extended Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday last weekend, scenic sites across the island saw large crowds of tourists. Premier Su said that many, however, seemed to have let down their guard, ignoring warnings to wear face masks and maintain safe distancing. In response, the premier instructed the Central Epidemic Command Center to strengthen monitoring of the outbreak over the next two weeks and expand reporting and testing of the virus. He also reminded the public that because protecting one's own health also protects the health of others, it is absolutely necessary to wear masks when visiting crowded locations where appropriate social distancing is not practical.
Taiwan has earned global acclaim for its success in containing the COVID-19 outbreak, and the Taiwanese are largely able to enjoy a normal way of life thanks to the aggressive response campaign mounted by central and local government authorities. Since the outbreak began, the government has had to make a great number of difficult decisions, but every decision was informed by a high level of professional expertise. If it were simply a matter of suppressing the outbreak, the government could have chosen to shut down the nation as many other countries have done. This may be a simple directive, but one that would exact a heavy toll on the economy and society. Taiwan is not yet at that point, the premier said.