Taiwan: Vaccines and tests to combat semiconductor shortages

The island has intensified its vaccination and screening process with the recent outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Taiwan, especially in its semiconductor manufacturing plants for fear that the global shortage of these valuable components will worsen.

Also read: Live | Recent developments on coronavirus

Also read: At Ford, chip shortages halved production

Also read: Microchip shortage: GM temporarily closes three factories

Authorities quickly opened coronavirus testing centers in the town of Hsinchu, north of the island, where the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TS టిMC), the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, is located.

“Hsinchu Science Park is one of the most efficient semiconductor factories in the world,” city mayor Lin Chi-chian told AFP.

“Hinchu not only protects its inhabitants, but also the headquarters of some of the most important semiconductor companies on the planet.”

Semiconductor foundries are striving to increase global demand for parts of computers and other electronic devices that have skyrocketed from the pandemic.

Factories, large water consumption, the island is operating at full capacity despite facing its drought for decades.

Taiwan has recently been experiencing COVID-19 cases and in this technological field, authorities are working to locate epidemic centers as soon as possible to prevent any spread of the virus.

The Hinchu City Medical Association said it had hired 120 doctors to conduct screening tests and plans to open four vaccination centers in the coming days.

For a long time, Taiwan was established as a model of good pandemic management, registering only a few hundred cases and less than ten deaths associated with coronavirus.

In recent weeks, the number of cases has increased and the virus has spread through aviation pilots, now causing 10,000 contaminants and 166 deaths.

The government has since implemented very strict social distance measures, including the closure of public spaces and schools until June 14.

It also hopes to launch an extensive vaccine campaign with the opening of thousands of centers in the coming months, with the goal of giving one million doses each week, enough for their number.

So far, Taiwan, with a population of 23.5 million, has received only 726,000 doses of the estrogen vaccine and 150,000 doses of Moderna.

The island has pre-ordered 30 million additional doses from a large number of foreign and local laboratories.