Statistics has shown that this year’s enterovirus 71 epidemic is more serious than those that occurred in the past years, cases of severe enterovirus infection continue to increase.The peak of the enterovirus epidemic is estimated to occur in June.The Department of Health has made plans to move up the level of prevention and establish “Enterovirus National Health Command Center.”For the establishment of the “Enterovirus National Health Command Center”, the Department of Health invited the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Interior, the Government Information Office, the Mainland Affairs Council, the Environmental Protection Administration, and various other related organizations from the medical industry to convene a conference.At the conference, the Minister of the Department of Health made five decrees:

1.Without the vaccine and specific remedy, we should continue furthering all existing prevention work.
2.When a campus epidemic conforms with the recommendation for class suspension, all classes should be suspended immediately to prevent further transmission of enterovirus. During such time, local education and health organizations should continue cooperation and maintain close communication.
3.Strengthen health education for target groups, especially caretakers of children under age 5, to prevent unnecessary panic among the public.
4.The Bureau of National Health Insurance will provide funding for medical fees associated with enterovirus infection. The entire health care system is required to spare no effort in treating patients, further improving quality of medical care, and reducing mortality.
5.In conformity with the spirit of “Our problems should be solved by ourselves”, we should overcome the difficulties in developing rapid-test reagent and enterovirus 71 vaccine, and stay committed to control and prevent enterovirus infection.