NXPO team has recently been reviewing COVID-19 outbreak managements in selected countries. The information of case studies will be used in the scenario planning for social and economic recovery from COVID-19 for Thailand as well as long-term development for Thailand to become more resilient to future crises.
China and South Korea were selected for the study as both countries demonstrated the ability to have the COVID-19 outbreak under control within a short period of time. In China, the case was first reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, in late 2019. The disease spread swiftly and widely, prompting the Chinese Government to impose a city lockdown on 23 January. All non-essential companies, manufacturing plants and schools in Hubei were later ordered to shut down. The Wuhan lockdown was loosened on 22 March.
In South Korea, the Government took on the approaches of open information, quarantine and disease treatment. Infected individuals are subject to mandatory isolation in government shelters and patients receive medical treatment early on. These measures, along with aggressive screening and efficient healthcare system, result in a low number of cases and deaths. Innovative solutions and advanced technology have been used in the disease management such as the world-first drive-through testing center and the use of phone and credit card records to trace prior movements of patients in order to identify individuals who come into contact with infected ones, allowing the health authority to effectively contain the disease.
The most interesting aspects of Korean responses to COVID-19 are the country’s rapidly scaled testing capabilities and its well-organized epidemic control program. On 4 February, the ban on entry of foreigners who have visited China’s Hubei province was enforced and the first test kit was approved. On 25 February, public buildings are required to install thermal scanners. The first drive-through testing station was launched in early March. At this point, the testing capacity has been ramped up to 15,000 tests daily, and over 180,000 people have been tested. On 13 March, the number of recoveries, 177, was larger than the number of those who newly tested positive, 110. By 20 March, Korea has tested 316,664 people, which is the largest number in the world.
Sources:
- https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/china/
- COVID-19: Briefing Note, Global Health and Crisis response, McKinsey & Company, updated: March 25,2020
- 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South Korea, retrieved 25 March 2020.
