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Asia The Economist April 25th 2020 27
When the epidemic is over keep up extensive testing and vigorous
A process of elimination contact-tracing using security-camera
footage, credit-card statements and mo-
bile-phone location data. The movements
of confirmed cases are made public, worry-
ing privacy activists and adulterers alike.
Australia, too, promises “aggressive sup-
pression” using contact-tracing and one of
NELSON, NEW ZEALAND the highest rates of testing in the world.
Several countries appear to be beating covid-19. What happens next?
New Zealand is going one step further. It
f all the new rules police in Australia beaches (for swimming and surfing only) has set itself the goal of eliminating the vi-
Oand New Zealand have found them- and will soon resume elective surgeries, rus entirely from its shores.
selves trying to enforce in recent weeks, dental care and fertility treatment. South The benefits of elimination are clear.
one of the trickiest has been preventing Korea is allowing domestic tourism, al- Whereas many countries risk a debilitating
surfing. Officers have had, on occasion, to though one county cut down fields of tu- cycle of lockdowns, gradual reopenings
wade into the water to remonstrate with lips to avoid attracting the usual crowds of and then fresh restrictions as the outbreak
wave-catching scofflaws, many of whom sightseers. Taiwan, remarkably, never shut waxes and wanes, New Zealand’s govern-
scaled fences or clambered down cliffs to all schools, restaurants or bars. ment believes it may soon be able to send
ride the breakers. Deliverance is at hand, In all four places officials caution that Kiwis young and old back to work without
however—in more than one sense. Restric- life is not going back to normal yet. For one fear that the number of cases might start to
tions on surfing are being eased, since the thing, there can be no letting down their surge again. “The recovery could be
new coronavirus appears to be under con- guard. The authorities have warned that a smoother and less hampered than in other
trol in both countries. second wave of the virus may hit in winter. places,” says Shamubeel Eaqub, an econo-
In New Zealand, a country of 5m people, To ward that off, South Korea intends to mist. Schools, shops and restaurants could
new cases have been in the single digits for operate without special social-distancing
most of the past week. Australia reported Also in this section requirements. The rugby season could be-
just seven new infections on April 23rd. gin, with matches in front of live audiences
That puts the pair in the very small group of 28 Making moonshine in Sri Lanka (to the relief of bored sports fans around
countries that seem to have vanquished co- 30 India’s costly lockdown the world).
vid-19, including South Korea and, barring All this would in theory provide the sort
a fresh wave of infections from a recent 30 Ignoring covid-19 in Central Asia of clarity for businesses which seems like a
outbreak on a naval vessel, Taiwan. Austra- 32 Banyan: Whaling in Japan pipe-dream elsewhere. Hiring and invest-
lia has already reopened some popular ment would presumably revive much more 1
