MedPage Today July 6, 2020
— Nations that effectively implemented simple public health measures have fared much better
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, U.S. policymakers, healthcare leaders, and the public alike have looked far and wide for a technological fix to the crisis. News coverage has focused on the search for “magic bullet” cures; hospitals have ramped up ventilator supplies; and there have been widespread calls for increased testing capacity.
Other nations have also sought technological solutions, but the emphasis has been different. For example, many Asian nations rushed to implement simple, inexpensive public health measures — including improved hygiene practices, social distancing, and face masks. These simple measures were implemented broadly to all sectors of society, regardless of socioeconomic or other factors. In the...