The purpose of epidemic response news conferences is precisely what it says: to respond to an epidemic. In this age of social media, people’s attention is precious. These news conferences are about an important issue that affects people’s lives, which is an advantage in attracting attention. When used properly, they efficiently promote epidemic prevention measures, but if this advantage is wasted and the briefings are used for issues unrelated to the epidemic, the audience loses patience.
Taiwan’s initial COVID-19 outbreak last year abated quickly. As time went by, the Central Epidemic Command Center’s news conferences were increasingly used for promoting farm products and stimulating local economies. Although this was done with people’s livelihoods in mind, the events strayed from their purpose, attracting criticism.