President Donald Trump has gone from downplaying Covid-19 to claiming that the pandemic could claim, in days, the lives of 200,000 Americans. Initially blamed for originating and concealing the outbreak, China has leveraged its success in taming the pandemic by ascending to the apex of global leadership, from where it’s championing international cooperation, coordination and solidarity. In attempt to manage Covid-19, many countries have rushed to emulate China in the wearing of face masks, social distancing, contact tracing, quarantines and lockdowns. Western countries have more cameras per person but they are largely restricted to counter-terrorism surveillance. Current interventions risk collapsing our political, social and economic systems yet we could look to China for lessons and inspiration.

Source: Daily Nation April 06, 2020 20:48 UTC