Five points about the effectiveness of Taiwan's response to the coronavirus pandemic

In the Swiss magazine Republik, Katharin Tai addresses why Taiwan's response to the coronavirus pandemic has been so effective, with only 1073 cases and 11 deaths in a country of just under 24 million people. She identifies five points: 1. The country's experience with SARS in 2003, when only China and Hong Kong were hit harder; 2. The legal reforms which were then made; 3. The associated strengthening of institutions; 4. Effective public communication; and 5. The continuous identification of weaknesses in need of improvement. While Tai's comparison is primarily to Switzerland, Taiwan's experience can provide lessons for other countries as they respond to coronavirus and prepare for potential future epidemics. (Andrew Shields, #111words, 18 April 2021)