More from South Korea on how best to deal with the virus.
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Before testing, a question of trust in the government
Perhaps the most surprising difference in the countries' response was that South Korea never instituted a true lock-down the way the U.S. has in most states -- in part because the government assumed the people would properly social distance without a mandate. Businesses weren't forced to close, and borders weren't shut down to prevent people from coming in from abroad.
“People were willing to follow social distancing and voluntarily wear masks when they went out,” Lee said. “There was a lot of trust in how the government was responding. South Koreans have a collective spirit when confronted with disaster.”
MORE: South Korea takes new measures to have enough face masks domestically amid coronavirus
Steve Sanchez/Pacific Press via REX via Shutterstock
NYC Health and Hospital/Gotham Health Belvis Covid-19 walk-in testing site is shown in The Bronx, New York, April 28, 2020.
Steve Sanchez/Pacific Press via REX via Shutterstock
From the very beginning of the outbreak, South Koreans diligently complied with the government directive to wear N95 masks in public, already having become accustomed to wearing masks due to air pollution. When the demand for the masks skyrocketed in mid- to late-February, the government quickly took over the distribution and rationed two N95 masks per week per person.
Even as the curve appears to be flattening and the country reopens, South Koreans continue to protect themselves by wearing masks whenever out in public.
In the U.S., many people have abided by, and vocally encouraged, social distancing measures on their own, but a segment of the population balked at what some called draconian government-imposed restrictions as states locked down. Across the U.S., residents went to parties and beaches, and in some places thousands gathered for "anti-lockdown" protests -- encouraged at one point by the president himself.
Very little of this happened here. We were told by MANY that there was nothing "Govt could have done" Well it sure seems as if their Govt found things that could have been done.
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The Hawk wrote:
This is going to reach a head pretty soon.