Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says it’s “not impossible” that 1 in 5 people in Taiwan could catch COVID in the coming months. But he says the government aims to keep the number below that level, at about 15-16% of the population. Even then, that means 3.8 million people in Taiwan would get the virus.
Chen’s words on Thursday come as a wave of COVID infections sweeps across Taiwan. On Wednesday, the country reported another record case count, with 2,386 people testing positive.
But the government is approaching this surge differently from previous outbreaks. Officials say the “new Taiwan model” for dealing with COVID means minimizing severe cases while gradually lifting restrictions on daily life.
Chen says Taiwan counts on keeping restaurants open, despite the ongoing wave of infections. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says Taiwan is moving back to “normal life”, and that includes being able to dine in restaurants.