Why Asian Countries are Controlling the Pandemic Better Than the United States and Western Europe

Navarro, Vicente

doi:10.1177/0020731421999930

Cited by 13 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…In addition, they actively capitalized on technological solutions to contain the pandemic by leveraging existing regional digital infrastructure through the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN), a collaborative platform working toward a common goal of smart and sustainable urban development [ 12 , 19 , 20 ]. These experiences also created a culture of mask-wearing, solidarity, and collective responsibility in the general public [ 21 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobile Apps Leveraged in the COVID-19 Pandemic in East and South-East Asia: Review and Content Analysis

Lee¹,

Ibrahim²,

Zhang³

2021

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic increased attention to digital tools to support governmental public health policies in East and South-East Asia. Mobile apps related to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to emerge and evolve with a wide variety of characteristics and functions. However, there is a paucity of studies evaluating such apps in this region, with most of the available studies conducted in the early days of the pandemic. Objective This study aimed to examine free apps developed or supported by governments in the East and South-East Asian region and highlight their key characteristics and functions. We also sought to interpret how the release dates of these apps were related to the commencement dates of other COVID-19 public health policies. Methods We systematically searched for apps in Apple App Store and Google Play Store and analyzed the contents of eligible apps. Mobile apps released or updated with COVID-19–related functions between March 1 and May 7, 2021, in Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, China (mainland), Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines were included. The CoronaNet Research Project database was also examined to determine the timeline of public health policy commencement dates in relation to the release dates of the included apps. We assessed each app’s official website, media reports, and literature through content analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize relevant information gathered from the mobile apps using RStudio. Results Of the 1943 mobile apps initially identified, 46 were eligible, with almost 70% of the apps being intended for the general public. Most apps were from Vietnam (n=9, 20%), followed by Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand (n=6 each, 13%). Of note, most apps for quarantine monitoring (n=6, 13%) were mandatory for the target users or a population subset. The most common function was health monitoring (32/46, 70%), followed by raising public health awareness (19/46, 41%) through education and information dissemination. Other functions included monitoring quarantine (12/46, 26%), providing health resources (12/46, 26%). COVID-19 vaccination management functions began to appear in parallel with vaccine rollout (7/46, 15%). Regarding the timing of the introduction of mobile solutions, the majority of mobile apps emerged close to the commencement dates of other public health policies in the early stages of the pandemic between March and April 2020. Conclusions In East and South-East Asia, most governments used mobile health apps as adjuncts to public health measures for tracking COVID-19 cases and delivering credible information. In addition, these apps have evolved by expanding their functions for COVID-19 vaccination.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobile Apps Leveraged in the COVID-19 Pandemic in East and South-East Asia: Review and Content Analysis

Lee¹,

Ibrahim²,

Zhang³

2021

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…37 At the same time, physicians are concerned about their own health and risk of infection, causing additional stress. 38,39 Because of the close distance required, ophthalmologists feel that they are at greater risk than other specialists and are mostly open to vaccination. 40,41 The population has suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to feel the effects with regards to the economy, education, employment and social well-being for a long time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role and Views of Ophthalmologists During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ziemssen¹,

Kortuem²,

Kortüm³

2021

OPTH

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Purpose The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic forced ophthalmologists to adjust their working conditions to ensure patient and staff safety, while still providing effective and timely treatment. This international survey among ophthalmologists was initiated to capture what actions ophthalmologists were taking and what their opinions were on the risks of infection in their workplace, the delay in treatment, the use of telemedicine and telephone for appointments, and the regional specifications and measures implemented by the respective authorities. Methods An open-source web tool was used to develop an online survey, to which ophthalmologists worldwide were invited via e-mail using international mailing lists (Media Mice, Singapore; Texere Publishing Inc, USA; CGO Gerling) and incentivized using a lottery. The physicians provided their level of agreement relating to the offered statements and gave free answers to the questions regarding the actions taken (conducted November 5th 2020 to December 20th 2020). Results After 91,000 invitations, responses were collected from 1122 ophthalmologists. Despite the use of large international mailing lists, mainly doctors from Europe participated. Half of the participants expressed great concern about possible SARS-CoV-2 infection in their patients. A significant number of younger ophthalmologists (≤50 years: 76.9%, n = 313; >50 years: 69.6%, n = 181) feared the delays that COVID-19 could cause to treatment. Reductions in patient numbers were broadly observed, with more ophthalmologists of younger age reporting greater declines. Nearly all ophthalmologists indicated that they provided disinfectant and the majority also used masks and questionnaires for screening. For 60.3% (n = 412) of ophthalmologists, telephone calls reduced the risk of ‘no-shows’; 71.6% (n = 497) disagreed that telemedical evaluation is possible without slit lamp findings and fundus photos; and 57.0% of participants felt content with the governmental measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced the work of ophthalmologists. Based on the limited response rate, certain statements were only possible to evaluate for the European Union: with a noticeable reduction in patient numbers, delay in treatment was a major worry. Measures to protect and reassure patients should be undertaken, especially regarding those with vision-threatening diseases requiring treatment.

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“…Health 26 (5) We conclude that almost 50 years after FASD was diagnosed as a medical condition, and experienced definitional transitions between a medical diagnosis, a public health concern, a moral failure of mothers, a defect of certain communities, a footnote in the lives of dangerous criminals or varying combinations of all these (Golden, 1999), dominant framings of FASD and indigeneity disable the better off from imagining policies capable of meeting the predictable material, emotional and economic needs of those who are left behind by a profit-driven, hierarchical social system. The inability of this system to meet even the most basic needs of billions in the midst of an increasing and dramatic concentration of wealth (Hardoon et al, 2016;World Bank, 2016), has only been exacerbated, albeit not created, by COVID-19 (Navarro, 2021).…”

Section: Declaration Of Conflicting Interestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Think before you drink’: Challenging narratives on foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and indigeneity in Canada

Yousefi

Chaufan

2021

Health (London)

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Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has emerged as a significant public health issue, in Canada and elsewhere. Health experts increasingly acknowledge that the disproportionate impact of FASD on indigenous people is driven by social and historical contexts, especially in settler colonial states like Canada. However, they generally frame FASD as preventable through abstinence and the effects of FASD as manageable through provision of appropriate medical and legal protection to affected offspring. Drawing from Marxist, anticolonial and anti-imperial theories and applying a Critical Discourse Analysis approach, we identify the (re) production of colonial and capitalist dominance in the expert literature. We show that dominant narratives depoliticize FASD by conceptualizing settler colonialism as a past event, ignoring ongoing, contemporary forms of settler colonial dispossession and resituating FASD within an expert language that locates solutions to FASD within affected individuals and communities. In so doing, these narratives legitimize, and contribute to perpetuating, existing disease inequities, prevent the formulation of policies that address the very real and as yet unmet needs of FASD affected individuals, families and communities and erase from the public discourse discussions about changes that could truly address FASD inequities at their root. We conclude by elaborating on the implication of these narratives for policy, practice and equity, in Canada and other settler colonial states.

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Why Asian Countries are Controlling the Pandemic Better Than the United States and Western Europe

Cited by 13 publications

References 0 publications

Mobile Apps Leveraged in the COVID-19 Pandemic in East and South-East Asia: Review and Content Analysis

Mobile Apps Leveraged in the COVID-19 Pandemic in East and South-East Asia: Review and Content Analysis

The Role and Views of Ophthalmologists During the COVID-19 Pandemic

‘Think before you drink’: Challenging narratives on foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and indigeneity in Canada

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