The fourth COVID-19 wave is expected to continue for a month before case numbers begin to drop, National Taiwan University vice president Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said yesterday
Chang, who is the Cabinet’s chief adviser for disease prevention and a former Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) specialist advisory panel convener, made the remark while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a news conference to raise public awareness about hand hygiene at Tri-Service General Hospital.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that the number of hospitalized COVID-19 cases has been increasing over the past two weeks, saying it is considered the fourth wave of local infections.
Photo: CNA
Every country has waves of outbreaks, and as Taiwan’s preventive measures have been relaxed, new waves are expected, Chang said.
The CDC now only monitors moderate to severe COVID-19 cases, and those with complications, he said, adding that case numbers have increased slightly.
This is linked to the public relaxing preventive measures, as well as the vaccine coverage rate of elderly people and vulnerable groups not being high enough, putting them at greater risk of severe illness, Chang said.
“There is no way to gain protection against the disease just from people close to you getting vaccinated. You must also get vaccinated for self-protection,” Chang said, adding that he encourages people who are unvaccinated or have not received a booster to get vaccinated.
Asked when the fourth wave might slow, he said past experience suggests that outbreaks should naturally slow down after a period, and he expects the current wave to last for about a month.
Asked whether masking regulations might be further eased, Chang said that if the vaccination coverage rate was higher, the mask mandate for healthcare facilities could have been lifted, but now it might remain in place a little longer, until the global COVID-19 situation becomes more stable.
Chang said that lessons learned from fighting SARS showed that healthcare facilities should remain alert and implement preventive measures to effectively protect healthcare professionals and patients, so he would not suggest removing the mask mandate for hospitals yet.
Meanwhile, Tri-Service General Hospital said that World Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated on May 5 each year, and its campaign theme this year is: “Accelerate action together. SAVE LIVES — Clean Your Hands.”
The campaign aims to remind people to implement lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic — such as practicing good hand hygiene — to better prevent and control infections, it said.
Hospital superintendent Hung Yi-jen (洪乙仁) said that as COVID-19 cases are increasing again, washing one’s hands thoroughly is as important as wearing a mask.
These personal preventive measures can also help prevent flu, enterovirus and other infections, Hung added.
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