Taipei City Government

On May 25, Mayor Ko Wen-je presided virtually over the COVID-19 update press conference, despite being isolated at home due to the virus. He reported that among the 89,352 new domestic cases in Taiwan, 9,085 cases occurred in Taipei City. He sees the slight drop in infections as a signal that the current wave has reached its peak and pointed out that the next question will be how long the plateau will last.
 
With the average number of new cases in Taipei remaining around 10,000 a day, he believes that there are sufficient medical resources to handle the crisis thanks to the comprehensive COVID emergency outpatient clinics (CEOC), as well as the 2,500 beds mobilized at local hospital wards. With 8 major medical centers in town, Taipei retains the capacity to support nearby municipalities if necessary.
 
Ko stressed the importance of hospitals in the war against the pandemic. That is why the city government keeps close track of hospital bed vacancy on a daily basis. As of yesterday evening, there are still 851 beds available. A total of 222 people were admitted to local hospitals due to COVID on September 23, while 197 were discharged on the same day. He remarked that the curve will start declining when we observe several days where the number discharged exceed the number admitted.
 
The mayor pointed out that a special trait in the City’s response against the pandemic is the establishment of the CEOC. He pointed out that a new measure will be effective starting May 26, where testing positive on home kit following diagnosis by a doctor will be counted as confirmed case. However, the doctor will not depend entirely on PCR screening to decide whether to issue prescription to the patient. In principle, the drug should be taken only if you need it. Ko believes that the capacity of Taipei’s CEOCs have reached 12,000 people a day, which is enough to meet the needs of residents.
 
As for the guideline on where to seek medical help, the mayor explained that the following people should go to hospital CEOCs and avoid the drive-through version: people older than 65; people under 65 who have chronological illness such as Liver Cirrhosis, and immunocompromised individuals who need antiviral drugs. The massive drive-through CEOCs should be reserved for those under 65 who are healthy and require medicines that address symptoms such as fever, pain, and throat issues.
 
Also, for those who came up with a positive result on their rapid test, do not instinctively rush to the hospital. He or she should start with telecare. Taipei City Government has posted a list of hospitals in each district offering telecare. Simply call the hospital and the staff will provide instruction on how to book an appointment and see a doctor online.