Thread by @TaiwanBirding

It’s not about bragging, but sorrowful anger that so much of 2020’s horridness for friends around the world was avoidable.

How did #Taiwan ‘beat’ Covid-19 (with no lockdowns, little disruption, 7 deaths)?

A Collared Bush-Robin thread:

1. Universal healthcare. It works well, catch up America!

2. Not trusting China. We’ve had decades to learn how our neighbor lies and spreads disinformation.

Sambar Deer in the central mountains.

3. SARS. The experience in 2003 gave us clues how to prepare, and what to look out for. We had a plan.

thelancet.com/journals/lanwp…

4. Surgical masks. Even in normal times 1% wear them for multiple reasons - already normalized.

Production - and fair distribution - of them (comfortable & effective) ramped up in February.

5. Electing an epidemiologist as vice-president in 2015.

#Taiwanese people valued the expert in the fight against SARS. Other free democracies could have learned.

Owling in a Taoist temple.

6. Moving fast.

Overreacting at the start better than waiting for all the answers. Screening started in hours vs the UK’s months.

A Swinhoe’s Pheasant at the ready.

7. Clear & honest messaging from experts.

Delivered digitally, by cute dogs, and speaking garbage trucks. Misinformation tackled.

8. Very strict, and well organized, quarantine for arrivals.

Do it right and you can still have thousands fly in every day. No reseeding. Common sense contact tracing.

Then, go drink tea with friends.

9. Maybe a bit of luck, & trust.

China, afraid of its people seeing democracy in action, limited visits here in January...when we were re-electing a trusted government.

Grey Heron, but bright outlook. Stay safe.