VISUAL CUE: People with masks tend to keep greater social distance than people without masks, as seeing people in masks might increase alertness, an expert said

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 09, 2020
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

COVID-19 antibody testing should be conducted, and participants at pilgrimages and other large events should still wear masks and wash their hands frequently, public health experts at National Taiwan University (NTU) said yesterday.

After the Central Epidemic Command Center on Sunday eased disease prevention regulations, several temples have announced new dates for postponed pilgrimages, and organizers have rescheduled sports events.

NTU College of Public Health dean Chan Chang-chuan (詹長權) said that conducting antibody testing on certain groups of people would help the government understand the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and provide a reference to improve precise disease prevention policies, such as estimating demand for vaccines, drugs and healthcare services.

Antibody testing is not like mass screening to find infected people, but to help understand how the virus spreads and improve evaluations of infection risks among different groups, Chan said.
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