Singapore shows a different way is possible

In the Far East, some states are limiting the spread of Covid-19 without the need for draconian lockdowns

We all would like to find a good way to get through this coronavirus crisis. We dearly want to squash the exponential rise in infections, but none of us wants to copy Wuhan in having a complete lockdown. We want to keep the economy going and not be confined to our homes. Is this possible?

The experience of Singapore and some other Far Eastern countries suggests that it could be. They were among the first to get infections from Wuhan because they have much more interaction with China than we do. Yet now, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong all have far fewer infections than us. The rate at which the numbers of cases there are doubling continues to be much slower. What might we learn from their examples?

Most of the things they have done we are doing, too. The main difference is that they have done them more actively and aggressively from the start. One thing they have been most aggressive about is restricting arrivals from other countries. Even when people have arrived, they have been tested and often required to go into quarantine.

Screening arrivals in Taiwan has included officials going onto planes and doing temperature checks on the passengers. Testing by temperature and by specific tests for Covid-19 is much more common in these countries. It is normal for anyone with symptoms to get the test without any need to have travelled recently from a badly affected part of the world.

Self-isolation and quarantine are taken far more seriously and enforced. A person who breaks quarantine in Singapore or Hong Kong will face a significant fine. Both territories have used specially commandeered buildings to enforce quarantine. They also work hard to trace who has been in contact with an infected person. In Singapore, the police have been part of the effort to trace and then require isolation. In Taiwan, you are required to keep your mobile phone showing your location so that if you stray from your home, this will quickly be noted and you will get a warning.

The people in these countries are very ready to take measures that keep themselves and each other safer. Hand sanitisers are commonplace. Social distancing is normal. In Hong Kong, more than three quarters of people wear face masks when out in public. It is doubtless true, as British experts say, that these have very little effect in keeping the wearer safe. But in these countries, the majority opinion is that masks reduce the risk of the wearer infecting others. We know that some people have the disease without being aware of it. People there are adopting the precautionary principle.

All of these countries have one important advantage over Britain. They were scarred by Sars in 2003. The deaths they suffered spurred their medical services into preparing for another possible coronavirus. Taiwan built up its capacity in intensive care units and built up stockpiles of supplies. With a lively awareness of the danger, Singapore started developing test kits from the moment the new virus became known. Hong Kong quickly decided to restrict travel from mainland China.

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James Bartholomew on Twitter @ Jgbartholomew; read more at telegraph.co.uk/ opinion

These three territories have all kept their infections in the low hundreds. One might argue that the measures they are taking are fine for those who started being aggressive early, but that it is too late now for Britain to learn from them. But the example of South Korea suggests otherwise. It has had one of the biggest outbreaks and currently has 8,565 cases. But it has dramatically slowed the infection rate and has adopted similar measures to the others.

In South Korea, it has taken the last 17 days for the number of cases to double whereas in the UK it has taken only five.

The Koreans learned, too, from a previous virus and they have the highest rate of testing in the world. They previously set up a fast-track regulatory system for approving testing kits. Those with symptoms go to special clinics which are separate from the normal hospitals.

These countries are not doing rocket science and yet they are avoiding complete lockdown. They are generally doing things we can all think of. They are just doing them very energetically and quickly. And the people of these countries realise the disease is serious. Their cooperation is part of what makes it all work.