About 99.7% of recent COVID-19 cases in Taiwan have been mild or asymptomatic. But that doesn’t mean these cases are harmless. A small number of people who get COVID, perhaps around 5%, could contract long COVID. That was the word from Chase W. Nelson, a computational biologist based in Taipei who has been analyzing Taiwan’s COVID situation.
Nelson said that people in Taiwan are not that aware of long COVID. He said people need to know the long-term risks COVID carries. When a person has long COVID or post-COVID symptoms, they could suffer from the effects of the virus for weeks, months or even years after infection. Long COVID is a concern especially for people who exhibit severe symptoms, but also applies to those who have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic.
Unvaccinated people are at greater risk of developing more severe and longer-lasting COVID-19 symptoms.
As Taiwan faces its first unmitigated spread of COVID-19, Nelson said it is important to limit infections as much as possible. This will prevent overloading Taiwan’s healthcare system. It will also decrease the number of deaths and severe and long-lasting cases.
Nelson said it is important to continue taking precautions against the COVID-19 Omicron variant, even though most cases of the disease are mild. He is encouraging the public to wear masks, even when not required, to avoid crowds and gatherings if possible, and to keep rooms well ventilated.