After a briefing on Thursday from the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the current status of and response to the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, Premier Su Tseng-chang directed relevant ministries and agencies to continue working on such tasks as preventing the spread of the virus, acquiring and administering vaccines, and curbing disinformation. He encouraged officials to focus on the good of the country and people, and said that quickly returning Taiwan to the previous calm it enjoyed in the midst of the global coronavirus storm could only be achieved through unified effort.
Announced Wednesday by the Central Epidemic Command Center, Taiwan's operational plan for mass vaccination includes community vaccination stations and large-scale stations, in addition to regular clinics. Work on the development and testing of a vaccine appointment app is also proceeding quickly. Premier Su further charged ministries and agencies with moving rapidly to plan and establish centralized vaccination stations for subordinate units—such as science parks, industrial parks, military units, correctional facilities, government enterprises and civil service divisions—so that vaccination work may proceed in tandem with the acquisition of additional vaccine supplies.
Amid the pandemic, people will inevitably feel anxious and restless. Public opinion and perception can also be easily swayed by misinformation, which can further undermine social order, and even incite attacks on the government and create social unrest. As soon as such misinformation arises, government agencies should immediately step forward and clarify, dispel and contain the fake news from spreading, the premier said.
As for the many enthusiastic civil groups and corporations who want to help procure vaccines, the government is extremely grateful and will provide assistance in any way possible. However, disease control efforts can only be performed effectively under consistent national standards, at a consistent pace and under a unified system. The government has therefore established guidelines under the disease control system for all sectors to follow, Premier Su said.
The premier also encouraged Cabinet members by saying glory belongs to those who are actually in the arena, with faces covered in dust, blood and sweat, and still fighting courageously. He also emphasized that the nation must stand united to get through these difficult times and defeat the virus once again.