Report in May 2020 ①

COVID−19 infection status

Since the COVID−19 outbreak to April 26th, 429 cases were confirmed infected. Among these, only 6 people died from implications and 275 people recovered from disease in Taiwan. The picture showed below was adapted from website of "Taiwan Center for Disease Control". This website reveal important information about the COVID−19, including the status of infection numbers, newly infected people and health care education information in 7 different languages to make people well understand. Until now, most companies will try to limit the number of people staying in office; remains are work at home and make a rotation. School still remain open and students still can go to school. However, long distance education is already under preparation at the same time, in case of disease outbreak. People in Taiwan still can go outside to buy food or anything, but mask wearing is was necessary and temperature monitoring being carried out in some shops. To get on public transportation, people have to wear a mask. Without wearing a mask, the passenger will not be allowed to board the train or bus.

(Adapted from: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En )

Epidemic prevention procedures

Referring to the seriousness of COVID−19 outbreak worldwide, the epidemic prevention protocols conducted in Taiwan were considered as effective and much emphasized throughout the world. In my opinion, several important factors as follows:

1. The experience of SARS infection

About 17 years ago, Taiwan faced the SARS outbreak, which gave a serious impact on our medical and economic system. Through the experience and the education of the highly infectious disease SARS, government and hospitals established the relevant SOP to prevent the future highly infectious disease like SARS outbreak in Taiwan.

2. Social media broadcast the status of COVID−19

The information about the disease COVID−19 was directly broadcasted by "Central Epidemic Command Center" through many social media to let people know what disease they are faced with and how to correctly prevent infection. For every newly infected case, the Central Epidemic Command Center will trace every possible source of infection and follow−up on the people who had been in contact with, and these information are open for all to know. In this way, people can well understand that the disease is really under control or not.

Health control education media established by Taiwan Center for Disease Control in different languages.
(From: https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En )

3. Good health control education and usage of APP

Health control education was the most important part when facing this highly contagious disease. Successful disease control rely on people in the whole country having the same knowledge and a sense of disease prevention and protection. The relevant disease control education media are broadcasted through many social media in high frequency. About the most important protection equipment, "mask" was well controlled to make available to every person who needed them, so that they could purchase the mask. The purchase of mask could be made through the APP, this make the purchase procedure easier and decrease people to people contact.

Health control education. Use of the cute Shiba dog to let people know that maintaining social distance of more than 1.5 m inside the house and 1 m outside the house or wear mask.
(From: Taiwan Center for Disease Control)

Health control education. People who under household quarantine violate the rule will result in fines.
(From: Taiwan Centers for Disease Control)