After SARS and H1N1, Singapore built a robust system for tracking and containing epidemics. That system helped it "flatten the curve" and save lives. This is what other countries with #Covid19 can learn from them.
Europe and the US, take note: 1/ wired.trib.al/amQn480
Europe and the US, take note: 1/ wired.trib.al/amQn480
Wide-scale testing is crucial. Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan all developed their own tests for Covid-19 as soon as the viruses’ genetic sequences were published and ramped up production of the materials necessary for those tests 2/
Testing shows how fast and how far the disease spreads, and allows for more accurate calculations of how serious it is. It can also help get people the right treatment, and with trials of new treatments. That's why a test shortage is such a big deal 3/
Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea all enforced social distancing measures early, like canceling events and closing schools. This reduced the risk of a spike in infections 4/
Each country instituted controls over immigration (a controversial move that the WHO recommended against) and rejiggered their national financial systems to make sure people didn’t have to pay for tests or treatment 5/
Singapore also implemented strict travel controls and protocols for sick individuals—to get them help and find out who they’d been in contact with. It posted detailed accounting for how many people it tested and the locations and natures of their interactions 6/
Singaporeans get info from multiple, frequently updated government websites, as well as from a gov. WhatsApp account. They also get their temperatures taken before entering most buildings, including businesses, schools, gyms, and government agencies 7/
Singapore’s plan won’t work everywhere, but it used its experiences with prior outbreaks to build a system—and then sustained it. That’s the big lesson here: Find ways to combat the spread of #Covid19 and have them ready when the next outbreak hits 8/ wired.trib.al/amQn480
