The thought-provoking editorial “Tackle the coronavirus now” (May 18, page 8) has prompted significant feedback at home and abroad, including penetrating coverage in a Time magazine article on Friday last week, titled “How a false sense of security, and a little secret tea, broke down Taiwan’s COVID-19 defenses.”
Analyzing “how Taiwan’s COVID-19 defenses failed,” the article implied that a series of related government malpractices and an undesirable public response should be held accountable.
The scarcity of vaccine doses made the scenario worse, the article added.
It is imperative that the government does its utmost to mend the situation and contain the rapid spread of COVID-19.
Employing multiple approaches to purchase vaccines from the US should be prioritized, with possible support from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).
Assistance from the AIT is a key to helping eliminate the rapid surge of COVID-19, which is ravaging Taiwan in every respect.
On April 14 last year, an advertisement in the New York Times coined the slogan “Taiwan can help” amid a COVID-19 outbreak in the US.
The advertisement proudly highlighted Taiwan’s success in efficiently controlling the spread of the virus, adding that masks made in Taiwan had been shipped abroad — including to the US — to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the blunt truth is that mask wearing alone can hardly wipe out the unprecedented pandemic.
Ironically, one year later, a surge in infections in Taiwan is out of control.
This terrifying scenario is caused by an insufficient rate of vaccination of less than 2 percent of Taiwanese, due to a severe shortage of vaccine doses.
In the wake of the disheartening COVID-19 outbreak rapidly spreading throughout the nation since earlier this month, most severely affecting Taipei and New Taipei City, the Taipei Times editorial suggested that the government step up efforts to curb the spread of the virus, and boost relief funding and vaccine purchases as the outbreak jolted the TAIEX and put the economy at risk.
With a nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert in place, and the chance of a level 4 alert looming, vaccine acquisitions should be prioritized by all government agencies, and all available measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 should be implemented.
The AIT should also assist Taiwan to purchase vaccines from the US.
In his remarks at the “Global Cooperation and Training Framework Workshop on COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Experiences and Challenges,” AIT Director Brent Christensen on Tuesday last week said that international cooperation on vaccine purchases was feasible.
“Unfortunately, many still face difficulties gaining access to vaccines,” Christensen said, subtly referring to Taiwan.
Heeding calls to step up his response to surges of COVID-19 abroad, US President Joe Biden on Monday last week said that his administration would next month send 20 million doses of US-authorized vaccines abroad.
This is a generous amount of doses in addition to the 60 million that the US pledged earlier.
Christensen should appreciate the humanitarian attitude of Biden, who has said that “we know America will never be fully safe until the pandemic that’s raging globally is under control.”
In view of the long-term close relationship between Taiwan and the US, the AIT should try to persuade the US government to donate or sell vaccines to Taiwan as soon as possible.
Purchasing vaccines is at the moment much more crucial to Taiwan than any sophisticated defense weapons.
Vaccines are indispensable for Taiwan to eliminate the COVID-19 surge that is endangering the country.
In a Washington Post interview on Friday last week, US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said that with more people getting vaccinated, the world might be able to eliminate COVID-19, rather than just controlling it.
The statement of Biden’s chief medical adviser highlighted Taiwan’s Achilles heel.
The nation is at a severe risk of further outbreaks, with a sustained high number of cases, affecting people who are not vaccinated. This is caused by the vaccine shortage.
If the AIT helps Taiwan purchase Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, the current outbreak could be eliminated soon, Taiwan’s endangered society could be saved and its economy could be stabilized.
It has been recognized that some government agencies and people have been too cavalier about the necessity of COVID-19 vaccinations.
It is time that the whole country mobilize to cope with the surging outbreak.
In the meantime, Taiwan desperately needs help from all available sources, especially the AIT, to purchase vaccines from the US.
Another remark Fauci made in the interview can serve as a crucial lesson for the world’s efforts to eliminate COVID-19: “You don’t want to declare victory prematurely, and it’s for that reason why we’re continuing to put the push on of getting as many people vaccinated as we possibly can.”
The Central Epidemic Command Center should bear Fauci’s words in mind when launching a scheme to purchase vaccines.
As COVID-19 has spiked so quickly and pervasively in Taiwan, acquiring enough vaccines for all residents is a national mission that cannot be ignored.
Li Chen-ching is a professor emeritus at Shih Hsin University’s English department.
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