Reply To: Why are the UK and closest neighbours performing so badly with Covid?


Latest News Forums Discussion Forum Why are the UK and closest neighbours performing so badly with Covid? Reply To: Why are the UK and closest neighbours performing so badly with Covid?

#66437
Clark
Guest

I’d say you could make more revealing comparisons, eg:

  • New Zealand – 5 deaths per million.
  • China – 3 deaths per million*.
  • South Korea – 27 deaths per million.
  • Taiwan – 0.3 deaths per million.
  • Japan – 42 deaths per million.
  • etc.

* Total probably suppressed, but by less than a factor of ten.

I chose these because I’m familiar with them, mostly their numbers are probably reliable, and they’re developed, urbanised, and normally highly mobile populations as are your European examples.

This shows what is possible.

The most important factor is the near exponential spread of infection. This makes early containment highly significant. Two key pieces of data are (1) how soon (in terms of infection prevalence / number of hospitalisations and deaths) was social restraint / restrictions implemented? and (2) population mobility data (eg. from mobile ‘phone companies).

I tabulated deaths against implementation of restrictions here, on an earlier thread.