Seite - 525 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
Bild der Seite - 525 -
Text der Seite - 525 -
525“Flattening
the Curve” Through COVID-19 Contagion Containment
South Korea22
Like China, South Korea recovered rapidly from having the second
highest rate of infection globally. The country is one of several, mainly
East Asian, economies that have dramatically reduced or kept low the
number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths without resorting to
draconian lockdowns. It has thus slowed the spread of COVID-19,
even in Daegu, its most infected city. The Korean authorities continue
to urge physical distancing and personal hygiene. Mass gatherings
are discouraged, and employers are encouraged to allow employees
to work remotely.
Mass testing has been key, with South Korea doing more COVID-
19 tests by country until April. Much of East Asia built up its testing
capabilities following earlier epidemics in recent decades, and their
authorities were thus prepared with test kits and facilities for rapid
development, approval, and deployment. In South Korea, the tests
have been free for those whom medical professionals recommend for
testing. Others who wish to be tested are charged about US$130, but
reimbursed if the result is positive, with treatment needed paid for by
the government.
Another legacy of earlier epidemic experiences is governmen-
tal legal authority to collect data from those who test positive for con-
tact tracing efforts. Artificial intelligence and big data have also been
deployed for contact tracing. Such pro-active testing and contact trac-
ing have been lauded by the WHO, which is encouraging other coun-
tries to apply lessons learned in East Asia.
Kerala23
The first COVID-19 case in India was detected in the southwestern
Indian state of Kerala on January 30, 2020. But with precautionary
measures in place even before that, with a population of 35 million,
Kerala has become “a model state in the fight against COVID-19.” The
state health department went into action early, setting up a coordi-
nation centre on January 26 to identify, test, isolate, and treat those
22. Nazihah Muhamad Noor & Jomo Kwame Sundaram, “East Asian Lessons for
Controlling Covid-19”, Inter Press Service (26 March 2020), online: <https://www.
ipsnews.net/2020/03/east-asian-lessons-controlling-covid-19/>.
23. Anis Chowdhury & Jomo Kwame Sundaram, “Kerala Covid-19 Response Model
for Emulation”, Inter Press Service (9 April 2020), online: <https://www.ipsnews.
net/2020/04/kerala-covid-19-response-model-emulation/>.
VULNERABLE
The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Titel
- VULNERABLE
- Untertitel
- The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Autoren
- Vanessa MacDonnell
- Jane Philpott
- Sophie Thériault
- Sridhar Venkatapuram
- Verlag
- Ottawa Press
- Datum
- 2020
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 9780776636429
- Abmessungen
- 15.2 x 22.8 cm
- Seiten
- 648
- Kategorien
- Coronavirus
- International