Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

The pandemic & countries that prevailed against it

The pandemic & countries that prevailed against it

What was the common denominator for countries that kept the pandemic to a minimum? Unlike in the USA, Brazil, and UK, draconian action and effective governance appeared to be the key components in keeping the COVID 19 virus from spreading in specific countries.
In some places the wearing of a face mask is mandatory and anyone venturing out without a mask is arrested swiftly. In those countries there is no halfway house: wearing a face mask is compulsory.

Even in countries where masks are not compulsory, populations that are actively mindful of the importance of masks in combatting Covid 19 wear their masks when necessary. This has probably stemmed the tide of infections in those countries.

Early in the pandemic there was mixed messaging on masks especially in the USA and UK.

Then countries that took the pandemic seriously in December 2019 were better prepared for action when the worst happened, unlike countries that refused to take the pandemic seriously and that failed to lockdown early.

There may have been a belief that the pandemic was an Asian issue. The pandemic would not reach the west. However science stated that with global aviation and international shipping, it would only be a matter of time before the pandemic reached western shores.

In Africa, in early January 2020, Kenya, which has a robust manufacturing base, converted that base into a machine for building ventilators and health care equipment. That effort apparently paid off in minimizing the spread of COVID in Kenya.

Countries, where populations obeyed government protocols, did well. The Caribbean- British Virgin Islands is one example- possessed residents who did not disobey directives and rules set by health ministers. The result may have been a minimization of infection rates and deaths in most of the Caribbean islands.

West Indians and residents of the Caribbean stayed indoors, obeyed quarantine rules, and social distancing requirements. The result was a far less spread of the pandemic in the region.

Limiting personal contact was a disaster for these economies. However lockdowns and social distancing achieved the desired result of controlling the spread of the virus.

In Africa, the poster boy for prevailing against the virus is Rwanda.

Rwanda is a highly digitized African state capable of going cashless at very short notice. When the lockdown was initiated very early on, Rwanda went cashless and all transactions were done online. The country fully locked down for months. The preceding kept social distancing to a maximum. And that helped keep control of the pandemic in Rwanda.

Effective digitization meant that over 50% of Rwandans could work from home. Online schooling was empowered, and most businesses were able to operate online.

Rwanda has a population of 12 million with just 2200 cases and 8 deaths.

Compare that with the USA and UK where hundreds of thousands have died and millions are infected, then there is no doubt Rwanda is an example of early action saving lives.

And it appears that so with countries that obeyed science with early action on COVID, so it will be with countries that bow to science with the vaccine.

The countries that first get the majority of their populations inoculated from COVID 19 achieving herd immunity will be the first to return to normal and see full economic and social recovery.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×