How Different Countries Are Responding To The Coronavirus Outbreak

An Ipsos poll published on March 4  suggests Canada’s approach to the virus appears to be relatively calm. Among nine countries surveyed (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US, the UK, and Vietnam), the lowest percentage of people who think the virus poses a high or very high threat to their country is Canada at 21%. In comparison, 65% of Japanese respondents and 49% in France feel this way, according to the survey.

In the UK, the number of confirmed cases  has reached 319, with five reported deaths.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said China’s move to quarantine about 60 million people in central Hubei province, where Covid-19 originated, in late January helped the rest of the planet prepare.

Gail Carson, head of ISARIC, an international clinical research federation, told HuffPost:  “WHO has shown great leadership in bringing together multiple disciplines from within the research community to develop a research agenda and roadmap to help facilitate a coordinated research response. 

“The effort regarding all aspects of research by China, even whilst in the ‘eye of the storm’ has been remarkable and we will learn from their research outputs.”

However, similar moves by Italy’s prime minister Giuseppe Conte to isolate millions of people in its northern provinces, and then Monday’s extreme decision to lock down the entire country, could prove more difficult to implement in Europe.

While the “aggressive” measures were praised by WHO experts, Conte faced criticism after leaks of his government’s draft plans appeared in the press hours before they were approved, leading to widespread uncertainty and panic. “On Saturday night many people went to Milan station to take the last train to South Italy. It was an incredible scene,” one HuffPost Italy editor said. 

The impact of imposed quarantine or self-isolate on the economy, and people’s livelihoods, is huge. 

In the UK, charities have warned hundreds of thousands of low-paid workers could be tipped into poverty  should they be unable to get to work.

While ministers have promised those affected will qualify for sick pay, many are not convinced the government is doing enough to help those who will suffer the most financially. 

But health secretary Hancock told MPs on Tuesday: “We will ensure that whatever the status of people who work right across the economy, whether they are self-employed, whether they are employed but work fewer than the number of hours a week, everybody will get the support so they are not penalized for doing the right thing.”

In the US and Australia the picture is less favourable. Australian attorney general Christian Porter said the government would not “jump to a solution in anticipation of a problem” to help hourly-paid workers facing a dilemma, suggested the higher rate of pay casual workers receive mean many will have “already made provisions” if forced to take leave for medical reasons. 

Millions of workers in the US have no paid sick leave entitlement, meaning many are forced to go to work even when they are struggling – potentially escalating the spread of the virus. 

Conditions are better in France, one HuffPost editor said, thanks to the country’s “generous medical and social system.”

“People who are confined have a right to a 20-day sick leave payed by our social security,” our editor added.

“The government is more concerned by the fall of the rate of growth and its consequences on unemployment. A global economic crisis is feared, so the government authorized partial unemployment measures, as well as the deferral of social taxes, to help the companies to cope with the consequences of the epidemic.”

Schools 

While children and young people have not been badly hit by Covid-19 (usually displaying milder symptoms if they do contract the virus|), school and colleges closures have been among the go-to measures for most countries in limiting the spread of infection.

In the US and UK, closures have been more sporadic, focusing mainly on areas where cases are suspected and being undertaken largely as a precautionary measure.  

In Italy, where infection is much more widespread, schools, colleges and universities across the country are closed until April 3.

A similar strategy in Japan, where less than 1,200 cases have been confirmed, drew criticism after prime minister Shinzo Abe admitted he had made the decision without consulting infectious disease experts, “because we did not have the luxury of taking our time in coming up with a decision.”

When the outbreak first surfaced a few weeks ago, schoolchildren in China were the only ones missing classes.

Now the picture is similar, to varying degrees, in South Korea, Iran, France, Pakistan and India, with more expected to follow. 

Social events

As cases increase across the US, the University of Washington announced  Friday that it would hold classes remotely until the end of March, while some major corporate offices are telling employees to work from home . 

Big companies like Netflix , Apple, Amazon and others pulled out of attending the annual tech conference South by Southwest  in Austin, Texas, before the event was cancelled entirely over the weekend.

Italy had closed museums and archaeological sites, even before the entire country was placed on lockdown, and suspended all weddings until April 3

Restaurants all around Italy are expected, somehow, to keep patrons three feet away from each other. The Vatican Museums are now closed, including the Sistine Chapel, in yet another blow to Italy’s all-important tourism industry.

Across Asia, Disney-themed tourist parks are closed or partially closed, along with many Chinese museums.

France’s Louvre Museum in Paris was temporarily shutdown earlier this month and public visits to the Elysee palace are suspended, while in Ireland the annual Dublin St Patrick’s Day parade has been scrapped.

In Greece, a row has erupted around the Orthodox Church  after it was claimed the virus could not be transmitted via Holy Communion. But one HuffPost Greece editor said there was “no panic, no confusion” in the country in general.  

All La Liga matches in Spain’s top football league will be played behind closed doors for the next two weeks, bosses announced on Tuesday, while all sporting events in Italy have now been halted after matches were initially played without spectators.

In the UK, health secretary Matt Hancock said the government was being guided by scientific evidence when it came to recommending whether mass events should be cancelled, or home working should be encouraged.

With contributions from Wan Heo (HuffPost Korea), Geoffroy Clavel (HuffPost France), Jon Rumley (HuffPost Canada), Gianni Del Vecchio (HuffPost Italy), Marina Velasco (HuffPost Spain), Galatia Vourvouli (HuffPost Greece) and Sharanya Hrishikesh (HuffPost India).