The Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced that anti-viral drugs will be prescribed free of charge to the elderly in preparation for this winter's predicted flu epidemic.
"According to epidemiologists, a large-scale influenza outbreak will surface every 35 years or so," said Su I-jen (
According to Su, the last two large-scale outbreaks were in 1958 and 1969. Experts predict that the next severe flu season will be sometime between 2003 and 2005, compounding fears of a SARS resurgence.
"On average, about 2 million people, or roughly 10 percent of the population, will be infected with influenza each year," said Shih Wen-yi (
According to the CDC's records, about 2 million were infected with the flu and 30,000 with pneumonia, leading to roughly 4,000 flu-related deaths last year.
The CDC, however, has plans to stave off a severe flu outbreak.
According to Su, the CDC will provide those over the age of 65 with the anti-viral medication Tamiflu from December to February. The CDC has purchased enough medication for roughly 120,000 patients at a cost of NT$500 million.
"If the anti-viral medication proves useful, we will consider having the National Health Insurance Bureau cover the cost of the drug next year," Su said.
The CDC also began administering flu vaccinations to the elderly and health-care workers early last month. So far, around 60 percent of the elderly and 90 percent of health-care workers have been vaccinated.
However, CDC health official Yen Che-chieh (
"The vaccinations are different from the anti-viral medication. Right now, our vaccines only cover certain viral strains and will be ineffective in preventing the spread of virus strains not included in the vaccine," he said.
"The medication will directly treat the cause of influenza infection by preventing it from spreading throughout one's body," Yen said.
Su said that the medication would be ineffective in treating or preventing SARS. The medication will be given to the elderly after a doctor diagnoses the patient with seasonal flu.
The CDC will soon be starting a SARS hotline that can be reached by dialing 177. In addition, it will be requiring that temperature readings be taken upon entering any building beginning Dec. 15.
Su also announced that the International Conference on Influenza and the Resurgence of SARS, which was organized by the CDC, will start today.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS