Life in Taiwan during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Our family members get out of the house regularly to exercise and avoid "cabin fever".

As an American correspondent journalist in Taiwan, I feel compelled to share my experiences and the experiences of other ex-pats and Taiwanese, especially during this time of global crisis. People are desperate for answers on how to protect their families. They are unsure of who to trust for reliable information. Every government has approached the crisis differently. That's why I started a web site and Facebook Group called Corona Views. That's why I started writing this blog. I feel like I am witnessing a global crisis bigger than 9/11 or perhaps on par with a World War, in terms of societal and economic impact.

It's springtime in Taiwan, so people enjoy visiting groves of cherry trees to view the blossoms.

Since I am in Taiwan, I can offer my experiences and perspectives from this island nation that, despite being forsaken by the World Health Organization (WHO), is more than holding its own and weathering the storm surprisingly well. In fact, the Taiwanese government has reached out to help governments around the world cope with the pandemic. As of today (March 30, 2020), schools are open, almost everyone is at work in their offices, shops, restaurants and malls are open, and life goes on with people following their daily routines. There are almost 300 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with most of the cases coming from air travel into Taiwan. There have only been two deaths so far. Taiwan is a democracy of over 23 million people, and the Taiwanese should be very vulnerable to  the pandemic, but there are MANY factors for Taiwan's successes. Having a transparent democracy with competent, well-educated administration, including doctors with valuable experience during the 2003 SARS epidemic has gone a long way. I personally think that if populist Presidential hopeful, Han Kuo-yu, would have won the recent Presidential election, Taiwan would have had a much different outcome at this time.

There is still no shortage of toilet paper in Taiwan.

Life goes on in Taiwan. There are currently no lock-downs. The economy is moving forward. Some industries are doing very well, including manufacturers of facial masks, alcohol and disinfectants. Taiwan is also increasing its exports from different industries to fill unmet needs in the global supply chain. Although there was a little bit of panic shopping when the Coronavirus cases reached 200 last week, we still have plenty of food and toilet paper in stores.

 Taiwanese citizens wait in long lines at pharmacies everywhere for their weekly ration of facial masks

There have been some changes, though. There has been a palpable tension in the air ever since Lunar New Year. Instead of the holiday being festive, all eyes were glued on TV sets as the news was focused on the situation in Wuhan, China, Italy and Iran. All of a sudden, facial masks were not available at convenience stores, and people were a bit panicked. Now, twice a week, people line up at any local drug store, present their health ID card, and purchase their allotment of 3 masks at NT20 (USD $0.67) each. Almost everyone wears masks whenever they go out in public. Wearing masks has been a common practice for Taiwanese people for a long time, to prevent the spread of colds or viruses.

These CECC authorities are on TV several times a day to update citizens.

The Taiwan Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) has worked tirelessly and heroically to  keep the Taiwanese people informed a few times a day. This knowledgeable and steady presence has helped to reduce the panic.

There is some feeling of unease, however, with the population being uncertain if things will take a turn for the worse, or how if the virus will stick around for a long time. This uncertainty has ruined the travel and hospitality industry in Taiwan. Personally, our family cancelled a trip to Okinawa, and lost practically all of our fees for airline tickets and hotel. Many people have had to cancel their own trips. In addition, our plans to return back to the USA have been postponed.

Spraying pesticide in our neighborhood.

All we can do each day is to count our lucky stars, appreciate our friends and loved ones, and make the most of our situation. We can take responsibility for our daily needs and prepare for the worst case scenarios. But it certainly feels comforting to know that if anything happens, we have one of the best healthcare systems in the world to take care of us, and we won't go into debt over our healthcare service. I believe everyone in the world deserves reliable, affordable healthcare like what the National Healthcare System in Taiwan provides.

I will continue to share news, views, humor and experiences from over here in Taiwan. Let's keep things positive, light-hearted, and useful. Love and Hugs!

Life in Taiwan continues with appreciation and guarded optimism.