This paper published in the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) network, covers how Taiwan (1) recognised the crisis (2) managed it (3) communicated to the public about it. It concludes:
‘Taiwan’s government learned from its 2003 SARS experience and established a public health response mechanism for enabling rapid actions for the next crisis. Well-trained and experienced teams of officials were quick to recognize the crisis and activated emergency management structures to address the emerging outbreak.
‘In a crisis, governments often make difficult decisions under uncertainty and time constraints. These decisions must be both culturally appropriate and sensitive to the population. Through early recognition of the crisis, daily briefings to the public, and simple health messaging, the government was able to reassure the public by delivering timely, accurate, and transparent information regarding the evolving epidemic. Taiwan is an example of how a society can respond quickly to a crisis and protect the interests of its citizens.’
Read here (JamaNetwork, March 3, 2020)
Read related article in Stanford.edu here
