Premier Su Tseng-chang said Dec. 30 that the COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted Taiwan’s expertise in managing infectious diseases alongside the resilience of its people.
Public cooperation has been key to Taiwan’s ability to maintain a normal life amid the greatest public health crisis of this century, Su said. The dedication and sacrifice of all the front-line workers protecting the country from coronavirus have served as an inspiration at a time of uncertainty, he added.
Su made the remarks during an event to mark the first anniversary since the government began on board inspections of all inbound flights from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where COVID-19 was first reported late last year.
Latest statistics by the Central Epidemic Command Center show that to date, Taiwan has recorded 799 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths, including a 253-day streak without a domestic infection running from mid-April to earlier this month.
According to Su, democracy, freedom and transparent sharing of information lie at the heart of the government’s disease-fighting efforts. Taiwan has shown the world how a democratic country can successfully combat coronavirus while maintaining social unity, he said.
A 31-minute documentary produced by the CECC was also released for the event highlighting the measures adopted by the government to stop the spread of COVID-19.
CECC Commander and Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung said Taiwan’s achievements managing the pandemic over the past year will go down in history. The battle is still ongoing, however, and the government will continue to monitor developments at home and abroad to safeguard public health, he added. (SFC-E)
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