According to data released on August 26 by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC), there have been over 23 million confirmed cases of SARS-coV-2 in 187 countries worldwide, resulting in 810,000 deaths. 

To date in Taiwan there have been 487 confirmed cases and seven deaths, resulting in a case death rate of just 1.4 percent. Moreover, 88 percent of the cases came from outside Taiwan’s borders, with only 11 cases for which contamination could not be identified. The incidence of illness and death rate for Taiwan is just 2.1 and 0.3 percent respectively, ranking Taiwan with the best worldwide.

In a survey conducted in late June by the Kyodo News Group of Japan on how Japanese businesses abroad rated their host countries’ responses to the pandemic, Taiwan received the highest rating of 93 percent, ranking first overall. To me, this excellent achievement reflects the cooperative efforts of Taiwan’s 23 million unsung heroes.

Bloomberg Economics also rated the pandemic containment performance of 75 economic entities against three criteria, namely public sanitation, economic activities, and policies. Again, Taiwan ranked number one.

A Japanese think tank conducted a pandemic response survey of 49 countries, evaluating damage from the pandemic by accumulated confirmed cases, rate of spread, and fatality rate, with economic damage evaluated based on losses to gross domestic product. Again, Taiwan ranked first with a score of 180 out of a possible 200.

Taiwan’s success in fighting the pandemic is the result of concerted efforts nationwide. The most critical factors have been a cautious approach, rapid response, advance deployment, and transparency and openness.

Regarding a cautious approach, the 2003 SARS epidemic had a major impact on Taiwan, in light of which we have continuously improved regulations governing infectious diseases, recruited physicians, and established a pandemic containment system.

Concerning rapid response, two main characteristics of Taiwan’s pandemic response have been no lockdowns and no mass testing.

The government quickly issued a travel advisory, boosted border controls, and tracked close contacts of confirmed cases in depth, while also strengthening 14-day home isolation and quarantine, and seven-day autonomous health management. Using precise screening, and targeting only symptomatic suspected cases, we also mobilized 20,000 isolation ward rooms and 14,000 ventilators, fortifying hospital infection controls, and supplying necessary protection equipment for those battling the virus on the front lines.

As for advance deployment, this included nationwide pandemic containment, relief and stimulus measures, and international cooperation. Notably, the Central Epidemic Command Center held a daily press conference to prevent the spread of fake news and help maintain social social stability.

At a national security meeting in January, the president directed the mass production of masks, and in short order 73 mask manufacturers added 92 production lines, and instituted a rationing system so that all citizens, rich or poor, could purchase masks. Furthermore, the government has invested in the development of rapid screening, antiviral medicine, and vaccines, and donated 50 million masks overseas.

Taiwan’s success at containing the pandemic highlights Taiwanese values. Transparency and trust are products of democratization as well as keys to pandemic containment success. More importantly, democracy coalesced the Taiwan identity, promoted social solidarity, and raised the civic caliber.

Solidarity is the key to Taiwan’s success at pandemic containment, I have told many members of the international media.

Taiwan has had nearly 10,000 people isolated at home, over 200,000 quarantined at home, and 60,000 closely monitor their health conditions, with a 99-percent cooperation rate among them. These people sacrificed a little freedom so that everyone else could live normally. And that is where Taiwan succeeded.

Yet why have there been oversights and holes in global pandemic containment? My view is that when the virus first appeared out of Wuhan, there was no tracking of close contacts, which made it impossible to control before the outbreak of the first wave.

In addition, China and the WHO delayed the issue of warnings, as well as quarantine controls of travelers entering from infected areas. In Taiwan, at least 30 people were traced per case subject. 

In some countries, despite lockdowns, they failed to isolate mildly symptomatic subjects and quarantine close contacts, or even if they conducted mass testing, they failed to strictly monitor isolation and quarantine, and did not properly conduct home quarantine.

Many people ask me, will there be a second coronavirus wave? To which I ask in return, how can you be sure the first wave is over?

Truth be told, the first wave around the world is not over yet, and low transmission rates mean low herd immunity. International trade is the engine that powers the Taiwanese economy. With many migrant workers, if we open up our borders, the inflow will have a large impact.

Right now there is no vaccine on the market, there could be a new surge of infection, and as we enter autumn it will be flu season, making it difficult to distinguish between respiratory symptoms. Consequently, we must start flu prevention right now, including rapid screening, Tamiflu, and vaccines.

As the novel coronavirus cannot possibly be contained by a single country, it requires transparent and open information, as well as global cooperation, joint technological and vaccine research, as well as supplying evaluations. In the future, the economy must have greater resiliency, with the development of new technologies and new responses to combat pandemics.

The novel coronavirus is one of the greatest challenges of this age. But without having endured hardship, how can we recover?

Some people say that democratic countries have trouble containing pandemics, but Taiwan has been the best example, proving that democracy can truly bring peace to the people.

Have you read?
♦ How Taiwan Fights COVID-19
♦ Taipei Metro’s Successful COVID-19 Response
♦ How can Taiwan contain COVID-19 without restricting foreign residents?

Translated by David Thoman
Edited by TC Lin
Uploaded by Penny Chiang