Mapping How The World Is Responding To Covid-19

As Covid-19 steamrolls across the world, widespread social, political, and economic disruptions have developed. Each country affected by the fast-spreading virus has followed a similar blueprint of implementing containment measures to control spreading. 

Here’s a summary of virus prevention measures on a country by country basis: 

• China – With 80,932 cases and 3,169 deaths, strict quarantines in the last several months could be working, that is if you trust government data. For anyone entering the country, 14-day quarantines are mandatory. The government has asked citizens to obey strict social distancing rules and ramped up mass surveillance to monitor the public. 

• South Korea – With 7,869 cases and 66 deaths, government officials have enforced social distancing rules, companies have allowed employees to work at home, and the military has been disinfecting public areas. 

• Japan – With 639 cases and nine deaths, the government has passed strict border control measures, halted all travel from China and South Korea, and has enforced mandatory quarantines for recent China and South Korean arrivals.

• Iran – With 10,075 cases and 429 deaths, public gatherings and prayer sessions have been canceled, education and school systems are closed, all forms of public transportation have been disinfectant, and 70,000 prisoners have been released. 

• Italy – With 12,462 cases and 827 deaths, all public gatherings and sporting events have been canceled. Schools and universities have been closed as strict travel restrictions within the country have been implemented to contain virus spreading. Closure of public services and curfews have been seen in some regions. 

• France – With 2,284 cases and 48 deaths, mass gatherings have been banned, sporting events canceled, and schools remain closed in some areas. 

• Spain – With 2,277 cases and 48 deaths, schools and universities are closed, flights to Italy restricted, sporting events postponed, and working hours have been reduced to limit the virus spread.

• United Kingdom – With 596 cases and 10 deaths, schools will remain open, events and social gatherings are still allowed, and the government has advised anyone who feels sick to stay home.

• Belgium – With 314 cases and 3 deaths, mass gatherings have been banned, school trips canceled, and social distancing measures are required to be followed by all citizens. 

• Ireland – With 43 cases and 1 death, mass gatherings have been canceled, schools and colleges closed, along with the expectation that public facilities will be shuttered in the near term. 

• United States – Mass gatherings restricted in California, National Guard deployed in New York, education systems in some states closed, CDC has asked citizens to follow social distancing rules, and travel from mainland Europe canceled. 

The US has been the slowest to implement virus prevention measures, likely missing the containment window by weeks if not a month for many large cities, as community spreading has been reported. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was quoted by Reuters on Friday morning as saying, “the next few weeks, for most Americans, what you’re going to see is an acceleration of cases.” And with that being said, is America about to transform into Italy or South Korea?