President of Taiwan 蔡英文 tsai ing-wen : How My Country Prevented a Major Outbreak of COVID-19
Taiwan is an island of resilience. Centuries of hardship have compelled our society to cope, adapt and survive trying circumstances. We have found ways to persevere through difficult times together as a nation, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no different. Despite the virus’ highly infectious nature and our proximity to its source, we have prevented a major outbreak. As of April 14, we have had fewer than 400 confirmed cases.
This success is no coincidence. A combination of efforts by medical professionals, government, private sector and society at large have armored our country’s defenses. The painful lessons of the 2003 SARS outbreak, which left Taiwan scarred with the loss of dozens of lives, put our government and people on high alert early on.
Last December, when indications of a contagious new respiratory illness began to appear in China, we began monitoring incoming passengers from Wuhan. In January, we established the Central Epidemic Command Center to handle prevention measures. We introduced travel restrictions, and established quarantine protocols for high risk travelers.
Upon the discovery of the first infected person in Taiwan on Jan. 21, we undertook rigorous investigative efforts to track travel and contact history for every patient helping to isolate and contain the contagion before a mass community outbreak was possible.
In addition to the tireless efforts of our public health professionals, spearheaded by Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, our informed citizens have done their part. Private businesses, franchises and apartment communities have initiated body temperature monitoring and disinfection steps that have supplemented government efforts in public spaces.
To prevent mass panic buying, at an early stage the government monitored market spikes in commodities and took over the production and distribution of medical-grade masks. With the cooperation of private machine-tool and medical-supply companies, the Ministry of Economic Affairs coordinated additional production lines for surgical masks, multiplying production capacity. Supported by technology experts, pharmacies and convenience stores, we devised a system for distributing rationed masks.
Here, masks are available and affordable to both hospitals and the general public. The joint efforts of government and private companies— a partnership we have deemed “Team Taiwan”— have also enabled us to donate supplies to seriously affected countries.
Taiwan has one of the world’s top health care systems, strong research capabilities and transparent information that we actively share with both the public and international bodies. Indeed, Taiwan has effectively managed the containment of the coronavirus within our borders.
Yet on a global level, COVID-19 is a humanitarian disaster that requires the joint efforts of all countries. Although Taiwan has been unfairly excluded from the WHO and the U.N., we remain willing and able to utilize our strengths across manufacturing, medicine and technology to work with the world.
Global crises test the fabric of the international community, stretching us at the seams and threatening to tear us apart. Now more than ever, every link in this global network must be accounted for. We must set aside our differences and work together for the benefit of humankind. The fight against COVID-19 will require the collective efforts of people around the world.
Taiwan is no stranger to hardship, and our resilience stems from our willingness to unite to surmount even the toughest obstacles. This, above all else, is what I hope Taiwan can share with the world: the human capacity to overcome challenges together is limitless.
Taiwan can help.
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原文與新聞稿出處 台灣國家總統府
蔡英文總統於《TIME》雜誌撰文分享我國防疫經驗 籲全球合作防疫
中華民國109年04月16日
蔡英文總統接受時代雜誌邀請撰寫專文，標題為《臺灣總統：我的國家如何預防COVID-19大爆發》向國際社會分享臺灣面對武漢肺炎的成功防疫經驗。總統在專文中強調，臺灣防疫成功最大的原因在於臺灣人民願意團結在一起，攜手合作共度難關。
總統認為，這次的COVID-19疫情是一場全球性的人道災難，亟需所有國家擱置歧見通力合作，因此，總統在文中也強烈表達臺灣願意協助國際社會的決心，並呼籲全世界團結在一起，遏止疫情持續惡化。
文中總統也再次為臺灣所面對的困境向國際發聲，她寫道: 「儘管臺灣遭受不公平待遇，被排除在世界衛生組織和聯合國之外，但我們仍然願意並發揮我國在製造、醫藥與科技的強項，與全世界攜手合作。」
美國《TIME》雜誌自2004年起，每年四月中皆會公布「TIME100 -年度全球百大最具影響力人物」，並於紐約盛大舉辦晚宴「TIME 100 Gala」，邀請所有入選百大影響力人物的名人共同與會。今年由於武漢肺炎疫情全球延燒，此計畫及相關活動預計延宕至今年十月。取而代之，《TIME》雜誌於四月中推出《尋找希望：時代百大影響力人物社群領航我們的新實境》邀請包括蔡總統、達賴喇嘛、戈巴契夫、安潔莉納裘莉等在內，曾獲選百大影響人物的名人撰寫文章，為疫情提供建言。
本專刊的撰文者來自世界各國、各領域具影響力的人物，針對武漢肺炎全球肆虐的狀況分享自身經驗並提供建議解方，盼讓全球讀者全方位了解疫情在世界各地的真實樣貌，而蔡英文總統也羅列其中。