Preparedness and Responses to COVID-19: A Comparison from Selected Countries

Abstract

After witnessing and experiencing the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and Ebola pandemics and epidemic, one would assume the world was prepared to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Alas! This was not to be! Officially, the first cases of COVID-19 were reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 31 December 2019. The impact has been catastrophic, with the entire world affected. Through event study, document and critical discourse analysis methods, the chapter looks at the preparedness, response and recovery measures put in place to deal with COVID-19. It emerged that countries responded differently, some late and some in panic. The main goal was to “flatten” the curve as infections skyrocketed, leading to deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic also placed severe economic burdens to countries across the world. The global epicentre of the pandemic kept shifting, starting in China, moving to Italy, and then to the USA. As the chapter was being completed, Russia had become the second in terms of infections after the USA. The COVID-19 early intervention measures mainly focused on handwashing, promotion of sneezing and coughing etiquette, mask-wearing and social distancing. However, as it became clearer that the pandemic continued spreading, additional measures, including full national lockdowns, were instituted. Since the world was still experiencing lockdowns, amidst other countries moving into the recovery phases, the chapter recommends the sharing of COVID-19 preparedness, response, and recovery strategies and plans. The world is encouraged to consider the COVID-19 within the broader realm of the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and also work with the WHO as the custodian of global health matters. Lastly, international protocols on certain disease outbreaks with potential to balloon into global pandemics such as coronaviruses must be refined to force countries and territories to notify the WHO earlier after a certain threshold of such diseases’ outbreak has been reached.