How South Korea Solved Its Face Mask Shortage

The state of Vermont has been able to keep COVID-19 cases to a minimal, at least in part by focusing on offering preventive protections for the most at-risk and vulnerable – such as the unhoused. The state's response has included "state-supported housing for the homeless, hazard pay, meal deliveries, and free, pop-up testing in at-risk communities," all of which prioritize high-risk populations rather than those who can easily self-isolate at home.

Although Taiwan and Canada saw the beginning of coronavirus outbreaks within days of each other, Taiwan has been able to better contain the spread. Using tactics such as integrating "its health insurance database with its immigration database" and using the military to help produce protective masks for medical workers, the Taiwanese government's aggressive approach offers lessons in how to use big data and regulations to stem the spread of infectious diseases.

When the coronavirus pandemic caused Germany to enter a period of lockdown, German authorities embarked on an effort to launch multilingual campaigns to make sure asylum seekers in the country had the information necessary to stay safe. The effort used podcasts, videocasts, and posters to disseminate information, and also relied on trusted community figures and NGOs to spread awareness, rather than the authories themselves.

Two schools in two different cities in Georgia have provided a case study for the efficacy of wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In one case where masks were optional and only half of the school opted to wear one, the school was overcome by a coronavirus outbreak; while in the other city where masks were mandatory, the school saw significantly fewer cases of the disease.

Milwaukee was one of the first U.S. cities to show that communities of color were disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic because of a framework that had been established and implemented after the city and county declared racism a public health crisis. The resolution allowed for city officials to track data that framed "disparities in health outcomes through a racial lens." Now, 70 other jurisdictions have made similar declarations and additional efforts are underway to address a range of health issues tied to racial trends.

As New Mexico's former state health secretary, Governor Lujan Grisham did not waste any time implementing aggressive and restrictive measures in the state to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Acutely aware that the virus would impact rural areas where there was less access to healthcare, she worked with local hospitals – who were also collaborating on solutions – to quickly open drive through testing across the state and harnessed "the scientific power of two national nuclear laboratories to process still more coronavirus tests."

An informal awareness campaign led by Chinese Hospital in San Francisco's Chinatown has played a prominent role in helping to keep the spread of COVID-19 cases to a minimal in the community. Working with local health officials and using the city’s Chinese-language media, the hospital and community leaders implemented proactive protocols that included widespread mask-wearing and business closures. Although tourism and business revenue has significantly decreased, the community has been able to avoid outbreaks.

For decades, executive orders have positioned the U.S. Postal Service to take part in helping during national crises, but the recently updated "medical countermeasures program" now tasks the postal carriers with the duty of distributing medical supplies. Although a vaccine for Covid-19 is yet to be created, "proof-of-concept drills" have prepared the USPS for when it is ready for dissemination.

When people in Taiwan began to panic buy face masks in response to the spread of the coronavirus, the government intervened and took control of production protocols. Recruiting technicians from a variety of backgrounds and cities, the government – in a move that mimics military service recruitment – mobilized a team that was able to increase the rate of face mask production and solve the potential shortage.

Although Nebraska’s governor never ordered a statewide shutdown, shuns mandates, and the state’s vaccination rate is not high, the state has had an efficient and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nebraska has fared among the best in the country when it comes to health, economic, social, and educational factors. The success is due to a combination of solid pre-existing medical infrastructure, particularly in infectious disease, and efficient state government that allowed the state to function logistically without relying on the federal government.