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Comment by SV_BubbleTime | Hacker News Reader

Those are some really incredible Covid numbers for Taiwan, just, incredible.

Having spent time there and seem some poorer areas and very dense areas, 7 deaths is unbelievably great.

Think about what that implies regarding the difference a competent government makes. Half a million dead, maybe even more, in the US alone. Granted, Taiwan was in some way lucky to have had SARS to get the acceptance needed to install their emergency law, but still, others had too and did scratch. Switzerland even gave up its stockpile of pandemic supply two years ago.

Are Germany and Italy equally or more incompetent to USA?

If you just compare to continental countries that are very interconnected (lots of travel, import+export), I'd say Germany is doing a bit better but still not as successful as you'd wish. I think it really shows when the highest executives have a higher scientific education.

Last I checked 6 or 7 was also the number of reported Covid deaths in Thailand.

As of right now according to the JHU coronavirus map Thailand has 8439 recorded cases and 65 deaths.

I believe you are refering to Vietnam.

They could also have motivations to use more specific testing or lower PCR amplification cycles. The PCR amplifications of over 40+ in the US and EU lead to many false positives. There could also be genetic factors found in only South East Asians. Also, they're an island, just like NZ.

There are a lot of variables, but the biggest factor: they're literally an island.

The UK is also "literally an island", though 4 times as big as Taiwan. Taiwan banned flights from China early on, and now only allows entry to residents and those on business. The UK has still not stopped international travel. Quarantine on arrival in the UK is weak and unenforced, compared to Taiwan where the only way out of the airport is in a quarantine taxi to an approved place and you get tracked by your phone for 2 weeks. By consistently refusing to take timely action, and refusing to take things seriously, the UK forefeited its island advantage.

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