News Forum - Taiwan battles Covid infection spike as it continues to re-open borders

[Thaiger]

Taiwan is currently Asia’s Covid-19 hotspot, following years of keeping the Covid variants at bay. The island-nation’s  relaxation of travel curbs has fuelled a record spike in new infections. Taiwan began the process of prying open its borders in March, initially allowing business and essential travellers to enter the island. They were welcomed with quarantine in a hotel or state quarantine facility for at least 10 days but this was cut to just 7 days in early May. The plan was to ease that even further in the next few weeks. But Covid cases started to skyrocket as the island re-opened, […]

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[Cabra]

Please. Just allow transit through Taipei. Would love to be able to use that airport again. 

[Anya]

What is your evidence and argument for cause and effect between opening borders and increase in infections? How many arrivals have the virus? If they go into quarantine for a week or more how are they responsible for spreading the virus? I think as in the case of Thailand the explanation lies more in internal infections which far outnumber any virus being brought into the country.

[Vigo]

 

12 minutes ago, Anya said:

What is your evidence and argument for cause and effect between opening borders and increase in infections? How many arrivals have the virus? If they go into quarantine for a week or more how are they responsible for spreading the virus? I think as in the case of Thailand the explanation lies more in internal infections which far outnumber any virus being brought into the country.

The concern about imported cases reflects the hospital capacity crisis. On may 17, Taiwan reported 53% of the 11,880 isolation capable beds available were  being used for Covid, Greater Taipei region was at 70%. This was at an average of 60,000 infections a day. Greater taipei region is now reported at 90%+. In mid m, hospitalization criteria were rerstricted; Only seriously ill and critical care patients  were to be admitted.  Now, infections are nearing 80,000 per day and are expected to surge to 100,000. A large number of health care workers are ill or isolating. There aren't enough healthcare workers to  support the  system. Regular patient service  is suspended or delayed because of the lack of  staff and hospital beds .   

Taiwan can reduce the potential for new and additional infections by keeping potential foreign infections out. At this point even if a small risk, it will help because Taiwan healthcare system is  at breaking point.  Even if  travelers,  both Taiwan nationals and foreigner  only add 100 or 300 serious infections, they are patients the system can't absorb.