Forbes April 3, 2020
Joshua Cohen

Transparency and information sharing are not exactly strong suits of authoritarian states. The inability to freely communicate information coupled with denialism are recipes for disaster in the face of a pandemic. Governments can’t imprison a virus. So, how do authoritarian states deal with the novel coronavirus? Well, there’s a wide range of responses, from the wacky, to being in denial, to the problematic.

The Wacky

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has called the coronavirus a “psychosis” that can be remedied with vodka and saunas. Lukashenko has been shown on national television playing ice hockey and embracing fellow players.

Life goes on in Belarus more or less as if nothing’s changed. And so, for soccer and sports-starved fans throughout the world there’s...

Today's Sponsors

LEK
ZeOmega

Today's Sponsor

LEK

 
Topics: Govt Agencies, Healthcare System, Patient / Consumer, Provider, Trends
The Ripple Effect: Ways to Make Health in All Policies Stick in Kansas and Beyond to Enhance Health and Equity
Katie Couric Talks Colon Cancer, Health Equity And AI
Ernst & Young: Health equity efforts maturing, but data capabilities remain barrier
Research Funding Is Needed To Support An Effective, Equitable, And Sustainable Public Health System
Covid’s scientific silver lining: A chance to watch the human immune system respond in real time

Share This Article