Doctors are not very optimistic about keeping COVID-19 at bay in the short term as the number of confirmed domestic cases continues to rise. Doctors say that next week, just before the Lunar New Year holiday, will be a critical period for observing the spread of COVID-19.
Pedestrians on this street were told to evacuate. A department store suddenly announced that it was closing in the middle of a work day. That was all because a person confirmed to have COVID had been in the vicinity. The street and the department store were closed for disinfection. Authorities are still trying to figure out what the source of the infection was.
Epidemiologist Lee Ping-ing says that when many infection chains are in a community, it becomes difficult to track everyone who has come into contact with COVID patients.
Cases have spread from the cluster that began at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Next week, which is the week before the Lunar New Year holiday, will be critical to seeing whether northern Taiwan will be able to contain the virus.
Lee says that’s because overseas travelers will be arriving in Taiwan over that period. He also says that over the holiday, there will be many more people moving around. Therefore, Lee says that putting a clamp on the spread of the virus might not be possible in the short run.
Around 20% of Taiwan’s population has not even received a first COVID vaccine dose. A lockdown also does not seem like an option because of the severe impact it would have on the economy. It seems that the only immediate preventive measure is to get everyone vaccinated.