(1) The Outbreak of the pandemic
In the beginning of 2020, coronavirus spread across the globe. Taiwan has become one of the victims. Confronting the virus, some industries faced the crisis of going bankrupt. All industries around the country were under threat. To cope with the pandemic, Taiwanese government requisitioned the masks produced by the mask factory.
Since the government implemented the mask requisitioning and anti-Covid19 policies, the situation in Taiwan was alleviated slightly. However, the demand of masks increased. In the early days of the outbreak, Taiwanese people fought for face masks almost every day. Confronting these problems, the government collaborated with manufacturers actively to establish the “National face mask team” and increase production lines. They kept a close eye on it, enhancing the quality and quantity of face masks constantly, trying to fulfill the demand of the people.
Image:People purchasing face masks in line /
Image Source:Google Search
(2)National face mask team
In the early days of the outbreak, Taiwan has a production capacity of 1 million and 880 thousand masks, which has risen to over 10 million masks nowadays. This is the because the manufacturers worked overtime, collaborating with machine production industries and government to establish a national face mask team. Their efforts made fulfilling people’s large demand in a short time possible.
The effort of Taiwanese national face mask team has been recognized by other countries. Their work helped the country to stabilize the spread of the pandemic, enabling nationals and immigrants to have clean and secure face masks to wear. Those who helped the national face mask team behind the scenes are over 30 machine manufactures, the government, non-governmental organizations, enterprises, supplier of raw materials etc. The manufacturers of face masks were competitors to each other, but they have worked together to produce hundreds of thousands of masks every day, protecting Taiwanese people silently without grievance. These face mask factories have been operating the machines relentlessly for 24 hours a day since the beginning of 2020, having the employees working overtime. They fulfill both the demand of masks from people and hospitals. Thanks to their hard work, the quantity of face masks made in Taiwan is sufficient for people all around the country. Currently, the masks are exporting overseas to help the whole world.
Image:The president inspect the production
lines of National face mask team personally / Image Source:Google Search
(3) The name-based face masks rationing plan
Because of the aggravation of covid-19 pandemic, National health command center announced that the name-based face masks rationing plan would be launched on 3rd, February as follows:
- Convenience stores will stop selling the face masks requisitioned by the government to fulfill livelihood needs starting from February 4.
- The National Health Insurance Administration (NHI) will make some changes to national computer database and complete related tests in two days. Face masks will be distributed to 6,505 NHI contracted pharmacies or drugstores through postal services. Each drugstore or pharmacy will give out 200 adult face masks and 50 face masks for children whereas local district public health centers will perform the distribution in rural areas. The public can bring their (NHI) IC cards to purchase face masks starting from February 6. Each person is allowed to buy two masks per IC card at a price of NT$10 in a week.
- To reduce the queue for face masks, the policy allows the people whose ID card number ends with an even number to buy masks on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and the people whose ID card number ends with an odd number to buy masks on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while everyone can buy them on Sundays. Furthermore, office workers and people with disabilities can ask their family members or friends to buy face masks on their behalf. However, each person is allowed to buy face masks for another person by presenting the person’s IC card, and the abovementioned rules of purchase apply. Moreover, face masks for children are only allowed to be purchased when IC cards of children under 12 are presented.
- Regarding the elderly living alone and physically or mentally challenged people in need of face masks, local social welfare bureaus and public health bureaus will cooperate to provide face masks from the local government’s stockpile of face masks in order to prioritize them for these minority groups.
Image:the name-based face masks rationing plan
has been launched / Image Source:Google Search
Image:Comparing the 1.0、2.0、3.0 name-based face
masks rationing plans / Image Source:Google Search
Image:Comparing the 1.0、2.0、3.0 name-based face
masks rationing plans / Image Source:Google Search
(4) New life against the pandemic
In the beginning of 2020, the government announce the policy that restricts the entrance of foreign travelers. When Taiwanese people come back to the country or foreign travelers enter the border of Taiwan, they have to submit Nucleic Acid Test for coronavirus and quarantine themselves for 14 days. At the same time, the government also appeal the people to take their temperature, wash their hands frequently, use sanitizer, and avoid assembly in order to guard the nationals’ health. The ministry of health and welfare told the public constantly to keep the social distance of 1.5 meters outdoors and 1 meter indoors. If it is impossible to keep a social distance, one should wear a face mask to ensure personal security. When people are in crowded or enclosed places, such as these 8 types of venues—healthcare facilities, public transportation, places of consumption, educational facilities, sports and exhibition venues, places of worship, leisure and entertainment venues, offices and business venues, all should wear masks. Those who refuse to wear a mask after being advised to do so will be fined.
The ministry of health and welfare also hold press conferences irregularly to explain to nationals the situation of pandemic in the country now. It also asked the professional healthcare staffs to shot commercials, reminding people to pay attention to their own health condition, practice the idea of fighting against the pandemic in daily lives.
Image:Appeal the people to keep the social
distance / Image Source:Google Search
Image:The Social distance during the
pandemic / Image Source:Google Search
(5) Transform the crisis into an opportunity
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the global economic has suffered from recession, in which Taiwan is not a deviant case. The pandemic has damaged industries around the globe, making them confronting the crisis of going bankrupt. Some of the food service industries and tourism industries closed down directly. Some people’s life chances are influenced by unemployment. To cope with these problems, the government put forward a relief package, providing loans of small amounts. To boost economic activities, the government invented triple stimulus vouchers. Triple stimulus vouchers are vouchers of 3000NTD. Taiwanese citizens and those with permanent residence certificate can exchange them with 1000 cash. In addition, the government also provide assistance in three aspects—finance, employment and taxation in order to help the nationals sailing through the pandemic.
Image:The government issued triple stimulus
vouchers / Image Source:Google Search
Image:Maps of face masks / Image
Source:Google Search
Since the government implemented the policy which requires wearing a mask, almost everyone wears a mask everywhere. Face masks have become the commodity everyone must have. Government official Audrey Tang designed a website for purchasing face masks, enabling people who do not have time to buy masks in line to acquire masks. Through her “masks supply and demand platform”, people can go to the pharmacy near her to purchase masks with the visualized maps. The platform also shows the amount of storage and the location of different pharmacies. The information on the platform updates every 10 minutes.