The Asian Age
Date: May 13, 2020
By: Rahul Karan Reddy

The country's speedy, efficient and expert-led action, despite not having WHO membership, becomes a blueprint for infectious disease control

 Baseball fans enter the Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Friday, May 8, 2020. Up to 1,000 spectators are now allowed in the stands for baseball in Taiwan on Friday, albeit spaced far apart as a safeguard against the spread of the coronavirus, but they are still barred from bringing in food and concession stands are still closed. (Photo | AP)

In the fight to halt the coronavirus, several countries have been touted as models to be emulated. Chiefly, South Korea is oft cited, justifiably so. However, no country has met with as much success in holding off and beating back the virus as Taiwan, whose geographical and cultural proximity, literally next door, to China makes the feat all the more remarkable. Contained in this narrative are valuable insights for other countries such as India that are still in the throes of this pandemic.

Situated a mere 130 km off the coast of mainland China, Taiwan has 850,000 to 1 million citizens who live or work in China. Although Beijing and Taipei are adversarial regimes, numerous daily flights link the island to multiple major cities in China. Given such proximity, Taiwan would likely be the most affected by any epidemic with origins in China. In fact, it was the hardest hit when SARS broke out in China in 2003. Taiwan then had the highest mortality rate in the world.

That did not happen this time.    [FULL  STORY]