Combating COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific: Measures, Lessons and the Way Forward

Abstract

Governments in the Asia-Pacific region are taking administrative and policy actions to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse impacts. Most countries and territories have adopted travel restrictions and social distancing policies to slow the spread of the disease. While many countries have rolled out fiscal and monetary stimulus packages, their scale and policy focus differ depending on their national circumstances, implementation capacities and how severely they have been affected by COVID-19 disease. In going forward, the region needs to invest in health and social protection systems and embed long-term sustainability into stimulus packages and recovery policies in order to strengthen resilience to future shocks. Policy coordination across countries is critical to ensure that no one is left behind. In just four months after the first cases of pneumonia, later identified as being caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), were reported, the virus has spread from that initial cluster in one country to more than 210 countries and territories around the world, including at least 42 in the Asia-Pacific region. As of 12 May 2020, more than 800,000 cases have been confirmed in the region, including over 23,000 deaths.1 The rapid evolution of COVID-19 shocked both the demand and supply sides of economies, and has posed huge economic challenges, threatening people’s lives and livelihoods. Measures undertaken have involved those to contain or mitigate the spread of the virus and minimize the adverse economic impacts, especially on the most vulnerable.