TCDC officials saw premonitions of the COVID-19 pandemic in December on social media. As well, medical staff freely transit the Taiwan Strait, so the TCDC was dimly aware that something was awry in December. On 31 December, Wuhan city government stamped paper that required doctors in the city to report all cases of a novel pneumonia to them. On 1 January, the Huanan Seafood City market (HSCM) was shuttered by the health authorities.[4]
By 5 January 2020, the Taiwan CDC began monitoring all individuals who had travelled to Wuhan within fourteen days and exhibited a fever or symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. These people were screened for 26 known pathogens, including SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome, and those testing positive were quarantined.[5]
Chuang Yin-ching recounted that "TCDC made a request to the Chinese health authority on 6 January. I was notified on 11 January. I remember that day very clearly because that was the Taiwan presidential election day. Around 6 pm in the afternoon I got a phone call from the director general of the Taiwan CDC that (I and a colleague) had permission to go to Wuhan. We flew there the next night for a meeting on 13 and 14 January morning and afternoon in Wuhan."[4]
On 15 January, Chuang and his colleague were summoned to the Director-General of the TCDC. The next morning he was present at the expert task force meeting. This was followed by a press conference on 16 January.[4]
The agency subsidizes a methadone maintenance treatment program in Taiwan. This includes providing methadone for addicts as well as providing psychiatrists, nurses, and case works, additionally the program "also provides educational programs for specific patients who were under conditions of deferred prosecution."[9]
