Focus Taiwan
Date: 04/24/2020
By: Wang Cheng-chung, Chen Yun-yu and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 24 (CNA) A hackthon competition was announced in Taipei Friday by Taiwan's government and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), to boost the development of innovative solutions for controlling and stopping the global coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The Coronavirus Hackathon (cohack) contest was jointly introduced by Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) and AIT Director Brent Christensen to encourage experts in relevant sectors to help create application programs aimed at using data related to epidemic prevention and control in a more efficient and accurate manner.

According to Audrey Tang (唐鳳), Taiwan's minister without portfolio responsible for digital technology, the cohack will be divided into six categories, including management of epidemic control resources, transition measures ahead of the end of the pandemic, and protection of socially-disadvantaged groups.

The other three categories are the use of predictive tools for policy-making, ways to support frontline personnel in the struggle against COVID-19, and risk communication.    [FULL  STORY]