As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to rise in Taiwan — measured daily in the tens of thousands rather than the single digits — there has also been an increase in the number of cases with medium to severe symptoms and even deaths.
Particular attention should be paid to elderly people and those with compromised immune systems — such as patients with diabetes, cardiopulmonary diseases, kidney disease and body mass indices over 30 — with authorities ensuring that they receive their booster shots.
Those with weak immune systems and minor symptoms of COVID-19 should be treated with an antiviral to keep their symptoms from becoming severe.
Taiwan has received half of an order of 700,000 courses of the antiviral drug Paxlovid, but this can only treat a little more than 800 hospitalized patients.
This makes no sense, because the most efficient use of the drug is to administer it when a patient has mild symptoms, to prevent their condition from worsening.
When Taiwan was hit with an influenza epidemic in August 2009, regulations stipulated that government-funded prescriptions of the antiviral Tamiflu were only available at hospitals, while people treated at clinics had to pay out of pocket for it, or claim it on their National Health Insurance. Few clinics stocked it.
Naturally, people with simple fevers flocked to major hospitals, exposing themselves to further infection from people with the flu, causing a major headache for doctors and patients alike.
I wrote an article about the situation at the time, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) perhaps took note because five days later, the agency announced that clinics could also prescribe the drug, taking the burden off hospitals. Just like that, the problem was solved.
Taipei and New Taipei City are experiencing a similar situation, but the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) has neglected to allow clinics to take some of the burden from hospitals in the initial stages of this outbreak.
Paxlovid is most effective when administered to members of at-risk groups before their symptoms worsen, to prevent severe symptoms or even death. If the right to prescribe the drug is restricted to hospitals and not extended to clinics — usually the first line of contact with older people — history is likely to repeat itself.
Paxlovid is expensive and supplies are limited, so its prescription needs to be targeted to those most in need. The priority must be clinics with pulmonologists, internists and family doctors; clinics caring for house-bound patients; and clinics conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for at-risk groups.
Clusters of specialist clinics in local communities could choose one in the community to prescribe antivirals, ideally leaving the decision to the one selected.
The CECC has been cautious, carefully considering the counsel of its panel of experts at every stage, but this has slowed the process. The rapid rise in COVID-19 cases with medium to severe symptoms has added urgency to the correct, targeted use of antivirals. If at-risk groups need to line up at hospitals for PCR testing, wait for the results and be admitted to receive medication, the prescription of antivirals should be left to clinics.
I strongly recommend that Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), Taiwan Medical Association president Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源), National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital superintendent Huang Li-min (黃立民) and others convene a virtual meeting on the matter — and give people in at-risk groups the news they have been waiting for as soon as the following day.
Wang Fong-yu is chairman of the Kaohsiung County Medical Association.
Translated by Paul Cooper
There is a modern roadway stretching from central Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa, to the partially recognized state’s Egal International Airport. Emblazoned on a gold plaque marking the road’s inauguration in July last year, just below the flags of Somaliland and the Republic of China (ROC), is the road’s official name: “Taiwan Avenue.” The first phase of construction of the upgraded road, with new sidewalks and a modern drainage system to reduce flooding, was 70 percent funded by Taipei, which contributed US$1.85 million. That is a relatively modest sum for the effect on international perception, and
At the end of last year, a diplomatic development with consequences reaching well beyond the regional level emerged. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state, paving the way for political, economic and strategic cooperation with the African nation. The diplomatic breakthrough yields, above all, substantial and tangible benefits for the two countries, enhancing Somaliland’s international posture, with a state prepared to champion its bid for broader legitimacy. With Israel’s support, Somaliland might also benefit from the expertise of Israeli companies in fields such as mineral exploration and water management, as underscored by Israeli Minister of
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) challenges and ignores the international rules-based order by violating Taiwanese airspace using a high-flying drone: This incident is a multi-layered challenge, including a lawfare challenge against the First Island Chain, the US, and the world. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) defines lawfare as “controlling the enemy through the law or using the law to constrain the enemy.” Chen Yu-cheng (陳育正), an associate professor at the Graduate Institute of China Military Affairs Studies, at Taiwan’s Fu Hsing Kang College (National Defense University), argues the PLA uses lawfare to create a precedent and a new de facto legal
Chile has elected a new government that has the opportunity to take a fresh look at some key aspects of foreign economic policy, mainly a greater focus on Asia, including Taiwan. Still, in the great scheme of things, Chile is a small nation in Latin America, compared with giants such as Brazil and Mexico, or other major markets such as Colombia and Argentina. So why should Taiwan pay much attention to the new administration? Because the victory of Chilean president-elect Jose Antonio Kast, a right-of-center politician, can be seen as confirming that the continent is undergoing one of its periodic political shifts,
RSS