Radiio Taiwan International
Date: 04 June, 2020
By: John Van Trieste
Newly released statistics show that COVID-19 has led to an overall drop-off in the number of trips people in Taiwan are making to see doctors. (Photo Courtesy New Taipei City Department of Health)
From January to March, Taiwanese people made five million fewer trips to see a doctor than they did during the same period in 2019.
Administration official Lee Chun-fu says this may be in part because of a decision to increase the size of prescriptions, a decision taken after the pandemic began. This has allowed patients to go longer without the need for a checkup appointment in order to get a refill. Lee also said that widespread hand-washing and the wearing of surgical masks may have reduced the number of illnesses needing a doctor’s attention. [FULL STORY]
