<p> As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the world, fast-spreading variants have caused resurges in infections and newly-imposed lockdowns after the 2020 outbreak. Devastations of the pandemic - millions of deaths, historic economic slump and strict bans of social interactions- have already made tremendous impacts on peoples’ mental health. Yet little does the world know its severity<sup>[<a href="#ref13">13</a>]</sup>.</p>
+
<p>  As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the world, fast-spreading variants have caused resurges in infections and newly-imposed lockdowns after the 2020 outbreak. Devastations of the pandemic - millions of deaths, historic economic slump and strict bans of social interactions- have already made tremendous impacts on peoples’ mental health. Yet little does the world know its severity<sup>[<a href="#ref13">13</a>]</sup>.</p>
−
<p> Depressive symptom is an imperative health issue due to its comparatively high prevalence in the general population nowadays. Accompanied by prolonged social isolation, deficient psychological health, and even suicidal tendencies, depressive symptoms often take their toll on individuals’ well-being and daily functioning on the sly. Studies conducted so far also indicated that there was skyrocketing reported symptoms of anxiety, grief and depression in Taiwan after struck by the pandemic extremely this year<sup>[<a href="#ref14">14</a>]</sup>. However, due to the limited awareness of symptoms and shying away for treatments, only 20% of the depressive patients in Taiwan sought for medical support pre-pandemic occasionally, not to mention during the pandemic<sup>[<a href="#ref9">9</a>,<a href="#ref15">15</a>]</sup>.</p>
+
<p>  Depressive symptom is an imperative health issue due to its comparatively high prevalence in the general population nowadays. Accompanied by prolonged social isolation, deficient psychological health, and even suicidal tendencies, depressive symptoms often take their toll on individuals’ well-being and daily functioning on the sly. Studies conducted so far also indicated that there was skyrocketing reported symptoms of anxiety, grief and depression in Taiwan after struck by the pandemic extremely this year<sup>[<a href="#ref14">14</a>]</sup>. However, due to the limited awareness of symptoms and shying away for treatments, only 20% of the depressive patients in Taiwan sought for medical support pre-pandemic occasionally, not to mention during the pandemic<sup>[<a href="#ref9">9</a>,<a href="#ref15">15</a>]</sup>.</p>
−
<p> Therefore, iGEM NCKU Tainan 2021 is dedicated to developing a novel, convenient and highly-acceptable solution targeting widespread depressive symptoms.</p>
+
<p>  Therefore, iGEM NCKU Tainan 2021 is dedicated to developing a novel, convenient and highly-acceptable solution targeting widespread depressive symptoms.</p>