Issues of civil liberties and individual agency aside, if you’re a totalitarian state like China with massive coercive power and the resources — scientific, medical, military and economic — to back up the measures you introduce and support the economic dislocation, or if you are a small island democracy with a manageable population, good health care, decent resources and a largely educated population like New Zealand, you can institute lockdowns early and pretty much eradicate the virus.

On resurgence you will have the tracking, testing and treatment measures to put a comprehensive lid on the pandemic insofar as it affects your country...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.