Why Rwanda Is Doing Better Than Ohio When It Comes To Controlling COVID-19

Germany has implemented a variety of methods to contain the coronavirus, but their policy of "open public testing" has been a vital component of successfully slowing the spread of the virus. Although the policy was not in place from the start due to insurance limitations, once enacted, it allowed for asymptomatic people to be tested and has reportedly slowed outbreaks throughout the country.

South Korea's national government took quick action and implemented sweeping policy changes that have helped the country better control the spread of Covid-19. Contact tracing and democratizing the creation of testing supplies were two key aspects, but a major influencer was how quickly the country set these actions into motion by centralizing their approach.

Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan all implemented similar comprehensive public health emergency plans that successfully reduced the spread of coronavirus in each region. Although each country used tactics such as travel restrictions, widespread testing, transparent communication, and quarantine protocols, Taiwan and South Korea are emerging as models for other countries due to the structure of democracy.

With the goal of containing the spread of Covid-19, the national governments in Australia and New Zealand took an approach that was predicated on letting public health experts take the lead. Although this approach – which led to early and aggressive restrictions of movement – was not met favorably by all at first, it has proved successful so far, leading both countries to reset the goal to eliminating the virus rather than just containing it.

Having learned lessons from the 2015 MERS outbreak, South Korea was quick to implement both widespread testing and contact tracing at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although cases were only just beginning to be reported in the country, government officials were already working with bioengineers to create test kits in order to "prepare for the worst."

Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea have each seen success through their efforts to contain the coronavirus. Using methods such as aggressive isolation methods that include penalties, contact tracing and rapid intervention strategies that were in place from previously dealing with other communicable diseases, the lessons these countries have learned could provide information for countries still struggling to slow the spread.

West Virginia relied on strategic partnerships, collaboration, and efficient use of medicine to successfully outpace every other state in the U.S. in COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Rather than turning to nationally-run chain pharmacies to disseminate the vaccine, the state partnered with local pharmacies to better reach long-term care facilities and collaborated with the West Virginia National Guard to overcome logistical barriers.

Contact tracing has helped identify hundreds potential cases of Covid-19 in Teton County, Wyoming. Conducted by the county's health department, the process works much like it does for other communicable diseases, such as measles. According to the data collected from the efforts, 60% of those who have been contacted as being in contact with the coronavirus have tested positive for the virus themselves.

When Covid-19 cases began to be reported in Washington state, the state government – at the suggestion of local health officials – enacted some of the most stringent restrictions in the nation. Although these actions did not come without trade-offs, in Seattle, the strategy has resulted in "the lowest death rate of the 20 largest metropolitan regions in the country."

Australia's aggressive and strict protocols surrounding COVID-19 have helped the country to return to normalcy and avoid high death tolls and transmission rates, especially compared to the U.S. and Europe. Although the approach has included strict lockdowns, the community has reacted largely from a perspective of "short-term pain for collective gain."