Facts and Analysis: Canvassing COVID-19 Responses

It is impossible to reflect on 2020 without discussing Covid-19. The term, literally meaning corona- (CO) virus (VI) disease (D) of 2019, has become synonymous with “the virus”, “corona” and “the pandemic” The impact of the virus on our lives is unprecedented in modern human history, in terms of scale, depth and resilience. When compared to other epidemics that have plagued the world in recent decades, Covid-19 is often referred to as being much more “deadly” and is associated with advances in technology which scientists have described as “revolutionary” From politics to economics, spanning families and continents, Covid-19 has unsettled norms: cultural clashes are intensified, politics are even more polarized, and regional tensions and conflicts are on the rise.
Global trade patterns and supply chains are increasingly being questioned and redrawn. The world is being atomized, and individuals are forced to accept the “new normal” in their routines.

In an attempt to combat the virus and minimize its detrimental effects, countries have undertaken different preventive strategies and containment policies. Some have successfully curbed the spread of Covid-19, while many others remain in limbo, doing their best to respond to outbreaks in cases.
To gain a better understanding of how to fight Covid-19, it is imperative to evaluate the success and failures of these approaches. Under what conditions is an approach successful? When should it be avoided? How can this information be used to avoid future pandemics?

This volume offers informative comparative case studies that shed light on these key questions. Each country case is perceptively analyzed and includes a detailed timeline, allowing readers to view each response with hindsight and extrapolate the data to better understand what the future holds. Taken as a whole, this collection offers invaluable insight at this critical juncture in the Covid- 19 pandemic

Linda Chelan Li is Professor of Political Science in the Department of Public Policy and the Director of the Research Centre for SustainabIe Hon g Kong (CSH K), City University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include good governance, central -local relations, government reform, public finance and sustainabIe development. She initiated “CSHK on Covid -19”, a collaborative project to collate an d analyze essential data on the case development s an d policy response of different jurisdictions to Covid-19, with an international team s panning Europe, Asia, America and Australasia

TabIe of Contents

 

01 GLOBAL

The Development of the GIobal Pandemic

The Hard Ouestions the World Health Organization Must Answer in Its Coronavirus Inquiry Timeline

 

02 CAMBODIA

COVID-19 in Cambodia: Managing a Crisis with Limited Resources Timeline

 

03 MAINLAND CHINA

COVID-19 in MainIand China: Anti- Epidemic Social Mobilization under Comprehensive Management Timeline

 

04 GERMANY

COVID-19 in Germany : Learning to Dance with the Virus Timeline

 

05 HONG KONG

COVID-19 in Hong Kong: PuIIing Together amidst Divisions

Fighting COVID-19 in Hong Kong: The Effects of Community and Social Mobilization Timeline

 

06 MACAO COVI D-19 in Macao: A Brief Review of the Macao Government's Anti -epidemic Measures Timeline

 

07 NEW ZEALAND

COVID-19 in New Zealand : Scientific Advice and Political Realities Timeline

 

08 TAIWAN

COVID-19 in Taiwan: Some Crucial Experiences for Fighting the Pandemic Timeline

 

09 UNITED KINGDOM

COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: Capability Development and Limitations Timeline

 

10 UNITED STATES

Timeline