COVID-19 Shows Periodic Epidemic Trends; Experts Urge Preparedness with Rapid Tests, Drugs, Vaccines in 3 Stages

COVID-19 is not disappearing and may become periodically epidemic, much like influenza, according to experts. They advocate for a transition from high-intensity controls to routine management. This includes strengthening wastewater monitoring to track community epidemics early on. Experts propose establishing a three-stage response system: low, rising, and epidemic phases. Based on epidemic changes, this system would trigger the early deployment of rapid tests, vaccines, antiviral drugs, and medical capacity adjustments, preventing last-minute preparations during each surge. National Taiwan University Hospital professor Huang Li-min highlighted that individuals with respiratory symptoms, especially those in high-risk groups, should still get tested or seek medical evaluation promptly. He urged the government to enhance COVID-19 wastewater monitoring as a leading indicator of community viral spread, in addition to tracking positive rates, emergency room visits, and severe cases. Huang suggested clearly defining "low, rising, and epidemic" phases to increase testing intensity, prepare vaccines and medications, and assess the capacity of clinics and hospitals, ensuring monitoring data translates into actionable epidemic prevention measures. Legislator Lu Hsien-yi noted that since COVID-19 is showing periodic epidemic patterns, the government should not wait for outbreaks to assess rapid test availability, medications, vaccines, and medical capacity. He called for an administrative department to establish a phased response mechanism linking epidemic monitoring results with the deployment of prevention resources. The CDC plans to integrate wastewater monitoring for COVID-19, enteroviruses, and influenza into a five-year "Epidemic Prevention Integration" plan. If the annual budget is approved, approximately 15 wastewater sampling sites will be established nationwide, with an annual budget of about NT$20 million. This monitoring is expected to provide earlier insights into community viral spread and verify if wastewater-detected COVID-19 variants match those found in human samples, as some infected individuals may not seek medical attention or testing. CDC Director-General Lo Yi-chun also indicated that future rapid test subsidies could be linked to epidemic thresholds. When the epidemic reaches a set standard, more comprehensive rapid test coverage would be provided for a specific period. Once the epidemic consistently falls below the threshold, the original mechanism would resume, aiming for more flexible use of epidemic prevention resources.

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COVID-19 has not disappeared and may become periodically epidemic like influenza. Prevention should shift from high-intensity controls to routine management.