Taiwan Centers for Disease Control Director-General Chou Jih-haw takes on his new post as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare today, while Chuang Jen-hsiang takes over as the head of the CDC. Meanwhile, many people are wondering when will COVID-19 be downgraded from Category 5 to Category 4 Communicable Disease.
Health and Welfare Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan held a quick press conference on the 14th to announce that current Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director-General Chou Jih-haw is to become Deputy Health Minister while Chuang Jen-hsiang will replace his position as the head of CDC. Hsueh regards both Chou and Chuang as very important members of the disease control department. Chou will continue to monitor disease control measures while Chuang should be able to take on his new role immediately.
Hsueh Jui-yuan, Minister, Ministry of Health and Welfare: “They are both experts in the field. They have had great achievements in the past years in all types of infectious disease prevention and control.”
Hsueh pointed out that pandemic control is slowly coming to an end in Taiwan so both Chou and Chuang's positions at the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) will not change but Lo Yi-chun will take over as the CECC spokesperson. In regards to drug shortages in Taiwan, Hsueh said he will try to persuade drug companies to increase production, but if that's not possible, he would have to enforce the allocation of drugs in hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies until shortages are resolved.
Hsueh Jui-yuan, Minister, Ministry of Health and Welfare: “We hope that drug manufacturers can increase production capacity. We will also be adjusting the allocation of drugs in all hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. ”
When will COVID-19 be downgraded from Category 5 to Category 4 Communicable Disease? Hsueh said the government has yet to determine when it can be downgraded. Announcements will be made by the CECC in due time.
衛福部人事案終於拍板，衛福部長薛瑞元14日週二上午臨時召開記者會，公布衛福部常務次長將由現任疾管署長周志浩接任，疾管署長則由莊人祥接掌。薛瑞元表示，這2位都是防疫團隊很重要的成員，周志浩會持續監督疾病管制等相關業務，相信莊人祥也可無縫接軌防疫等相關工作。
衛福部長薛瑞元表示：「這2位都是學有專長，各種傳染病的預防控制上面的話，在過去長年的工作都得到很好的一個成績。」
薛瑞元指出，目前防疫走向收尾階段，所以2人在疫情指揮中心的職務沒有變動，但是發言人職務將改由疾管署副署長羅一鈞擔任。而針對國內缺藥議題，薛瑞元強調缺藥原因很多，短期將優先勸說藥廠增加產能，若無法增加產能將加強醫院、診所及藥局等分配機制，以解決缺藥問題。
衛福部長薛瑞元回應：「希望廠商在可能的範圍之內提高產能，尤其是在大醫院、小醫院、診所跟藥局調配的部分，希望能夠做一點調整。」
至於外界關心新冠肺炎法定傳染病今年是否有機會從第5類降為第4類，薛瑞元表示，一定會循序漸進，在適當時機宣布，但何時調整須由指揮中心來公布。