* Taiwan has been in a virtual realty (VR) show since the Covid-19 outbreak first began in late 2019. There was minimal disruption to the quality of life on the island, and for the overwhelming majority, people's lives in 2020 were as normal as before--school remained open and work went on as usual. Other than wearing masks and washing hands, foreign visitors could hardly tell they were traveling and visiting a foreign country on the same planet in a pandemic year.
* However, things quickly took a turn for the worse in mid-May, when health authorities' "virus containment policy" was breached and cases quickly spread throughout the island. In recent days, confirmed cases have exceeded 10,000, with an average daily death toll in the 20s-30s range.
* These recent developments were new to everyone--the administration, businesses, schools, and even the night marketeers. Everyone has been trying to figure out how and what to do. At the current alert-level three, many people have been under a self-imposed home quarantine since mid-May. Students got an early start to summer since schools will remain closed until the semester's end. A sizable portion of the work force have been put on furlough in recent weeks, with more likely if the outbreak is not contained soon.
* A more worrisome development took place in recent days when confirmed cases skyrocketed in a number of high-tech manufacturing facilities. Emergency health measures were quickly put in place to ensure the spread would be under control. The economic impact would be considerable if the island's "pride-and-joy"--the semiconductor industry--experiences production slowdown, or even plant closure.
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