Tough and early intervention measures appears to have spared much of the region from the debilitating impact of the pandemic seen elsewhere

The Telegrtaph
Date: 25 October 2020
By: Nicola Smith

A coveted window spot at Saffron 46, a chic India restaurant overlooking central Taipei, is hard to come by on weekends. Behind the bar, waiters quickly whip up cocktails, while chefs work at full speed, churning out curries, samosas, and chutneys to packed tables.

It's a scene that is replicated across the bustling bars and restaurants of the Taiwanese capital, where business is booming despite the ongoing pandemic. Downtown malls are crowded and glamorous party-goers once again have to join long queues for nightclubs.

Although Covid-19 emerged from China, nearby countries like Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam and, to a lesser extent, Singapore, have fared much better than Western nations in terms of safeguarding both the health of their populations and their economies.

East Asia has combined varying strategies of border controls, targeted quarantine and testing and tracing systems, that have offered an alternative path to the endless cycle of lockdowns that have stifled freedoms and crushed economies in the UK, US and Europe.    [FULL  STORY]