Despite the DPP’s push to implement a largescale reopening and de-emphasize COVID, their policies are increasingly at odds with public opinion.

Data from the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation (台灣民意基金會民調) suggest that even though the government has been de-emphasizing the severity of the disease over the past month as they promulgate their opening policies, the vast majority, 72.4 of Taiwanese respondents, still express fear of Omicron.

Another informal poll conducted by center-leaning UDN suggests that an even higher number also support enforcing “soft” lockdowns in Taipei to curb the spread of the disease, running contrary to the newfangled laissez-faire approach of the DPP,  and suggesting that the TPP and Ke Wen-zhe will try to capitalize off of anger at DPP inaction.