A positive result on a COVID-19 rapid test will soon be enough to officially diagnose people with the disease. That was the word from Health Minister Chen Shih-chung on Sunday. But there are still details that must be worked out before the plan can be rolled out. Leslie Liao has more.
Taiwan’s COVID-19 PCR testing capacity is reaching its limit. That’s why the government will soon treat positive COVID-19 rapid test results as official diagnoses for all people. Currently, only certain groups can be officially diagnosed through rapid tests.
Deputy Health Minister Shih Chung-liang says there are still details that need to be hashed out with medical personnel before the policy can be rolled out. The purpose of using rapid tests to diagnose people with COVID-19 is to save medical resources for treating people exhibiting moderate and severe symptoms.
Dr. Lin Yung-zen says that such a system will be difficult. He says policy surrounding COVID-19 is changing everyday, and that certain protocols would be hard to put into practice.
However, given the current COVID-19 situation, health authorities are convinced this is the right move. Dr. Hwang Kao-pin says daily confirmed case numbers will remain high until mid-June. After that, he expects COVID will become endemic.