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Government ready for large-scale inoculation
Courtesy of ICRT
Premier Su Tseng-chang says the government is ready for a large-scale inoculation campaign.
Su spoke after a report at the Legislative Yuan this morning, saying that Taiwan has procured 2.11 million Covid-19 vaccine doses so far, and expects to have 10 million by the end of August.
In addition, Su says the government has budgeted NT$73.4 billion for epidemic relief, with 3.6 million people receiving the funds on the first day.
The premier says other forms of financial aid are also being discussed, such as allowing deferred payment of labour insurance, utility fees, and mortgages.
Su says Taiwan's economy is still forecast to grow this year, and exports and investment are still robust.
The premier says with continued adherence to epidemic control measures and vaccinations, Taiwan can recover from the effects of the outbreak.
This follows two days of a slightly declining number of Covid-19 cases. The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) says it has confirmed 219 cases and 22 deaths today, all of which were domestic.
The CECC also responded to reporter questions about Taiwan's death rate, which is currently higher than the worldwide average.
Health minister Chen Shih-chung says it is possible to see a higher death toll during the early stages of an outbreak, and the centre is doing its utmost to keep everyone safe.
The centre also says a series of factors must be considered when comparing death rates, including average age, and underlying diseases.
The centre points out that a large portion of patients that died after coronavirus infections have been elderly and or have multiple long-term illness as well.
The CECC also says it is revising its guidelines about the broad-spectrum antiviral medication Remdesivir.
The drug was approved for emergency use by countries around the world, but the World Health Organization in 2020 issued a conditional recommendation against its use for the treatment of Covid-19.
The centre says data from cases around the island suggest that Remdesivir is not beneficial and may in fact contribute to a higher death rate for intubated patients or those on ventilators.
The CECC is now advising against its use in those cases.
