The worst Covid strategy was not picking one

Summary

This article by Bloomberg Opinion, looks at the number of excess deaths recorded throughout the world during the Covid-19 pandemic and how the different strategies applied by countries impacted those statistics.

Content

Bloomberg Opinion assessed countries by excess deaths, a measure of actual deaths compared to expected deaths during a given period. It’s considered the most objective metric, because it doesn’t rely on access to tests (which might be unequal) or judgment calls (did Covid really kill this person, or was it a heart attack?).

Then they distilled the list down to seven with strong lessons for the next pandemic.

• New Zealand fared the best, teaching us that geographical advantages matter, but so does clear, consistent leadership.
• Singapore showed that deciding when to end successful restrictions is never an obvious call.
• Sweden proved that shoring up wealth, health and social infrastructure before an outbreak can significantly lower the human cost of pursuing a more relaxed strategy.
• The UK made clear that a good vaccine rollout gives a lot of wiggle room for missteps.
• In the US, the staggering toll is a reminder that all the wealth and vaccines in the world cannot save lives in a nation fractured by politics.
• South Africa trusted wealthy nations to fulfill their vaccine promises — and paid dearly when they didn’t.
• Mexico ended up with a struggling economy and a high death toll, showing that “lives vs. economy” was often a false choice.

Maybe the biggest lesson of all: Every policy choice involves trade-offs. No one “wins” a pandemic.