Effective COVID-19 Control: A Comparative Analysis of the Stringency and Timeliness of Government Responses in Asia

Shu Chen, Lei Guo, Taghred Alghaith, Di Dong, Mohammed Alluhidan, Mariam M. Hamza, Christopher H. Herbst, Xinqi Zhang, Gabrielle Charis Alano Tagtag, Yi Zhang, Nahar Alazemi, Rana Saber, Reem Alsukait and Shenglan Tang
Additional contact information
Shu Chen: ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
Lei Guo: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
Taghred Alghaith: General Directorate for National Health Economics and Policy, Saudi Health Council, Riyadh 13315, Saudi Arabia
Di Dong: Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, The World Bank, Washington, DC 20433, USA
Mohammed Alluhidan: General Directorate for National Health Economics and Policy, Saudi Health Council, Riyadh 13315, Saudi Arabia
Mariam M. Hamza: Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, The World Bank, Washington, DC 20433, USA
Christopher H. Herbst: Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, The World Bank, Washington, DC 20433, USA
Xinqi Zhang: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
Gabrielle Charis Alano Tagtag: Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, Singapore 138527, Singapore
Yi Zhang: Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, The World Bank, Washington, DC 20433, USA
Nahar Alazemi: General Directorate for National Health Economics and Policy, Saudi Health Council, Riyadh 13315, Saudi Arabia
Rana Saber: General Directorate for National Health Economics and Policy, Saudi Health Council, Riyadh 13315, Saudi Arabia
Reem Alsukait: Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, The World Bank, Washington, DC 20433, USA
Shenglan Tang: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-19

Abstract: Aim: Many governments in East and Southeast Asia responded promptly and effectively at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Synthesizing and analyzing these responses is vital for disease control evidence-based policymaking. Methods: An extensive review of COVID-19 control measures was conducted in selected Asian countries and subregions, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and Vietnam from 1 January to 30 May 2020. Control measures were categorized into administrative, public health, and health system measures. To evaluate the stringency and timeliness of responses, we developed two indices: the Initial Response Index (IRI) and the Modified Stringency Index (MSI), which builds on the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT). Results: Comprehensive administrative, public health, and health system control measures were implemented at the onset of the outbreak. Despite variations in package components, the stringency of control measures across the study sites increased with the acceleration of the outbreak, with public health control measures implemented the most stringently. Variations in daily average MSI scores are observed, with Mainland China scoring the highest (74.2), followed by Singapore (67.4), Vietnam (66.8), Hong Kong (66.2), South Korea (62.3), Taiwan (52.1), and Japan (50.3). Variations in IRI scores depicting timeliness were higher: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Singapore acted faster (IRI > 50.0), while Japan (42.4) and Mainland China (4.2) followed. Conclusions: Timely setting of stringency of the control measures, especially public health measures, at dynamically high levels is key to optimally controlling outbreaks.

Keywords: COVID-19 control; government response; Asia; stringency; timeliness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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