As COVID-19 spreads rampantly, various countries’ governments have used different tactics to flatten the curve and protect their population. From curfews to media blackouts, governments have used a number of methods to curtail transmission and control their citizens. 

The United States 

In the U.S., regulation began with mayors and governors. From declaring states of emergency to allocating more funds for resources to requesting citizens stay at home by ordering them to “shelter in place,” governors and mayors led the charge. 

Currently, some severely affected states in the U.S. are California, New York, Washington, Florida and Texas.

Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington state was the first to declare a state of emergency on Feb. 29. In California, Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a state of emergency for L.A., and Gov. Gavin Newsom followed suit within a matter of hours on March 4. Gov. Ray DeSantis of Florida declared a state of emergency on March 9. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York declared a state of emergency on March 11. 

On March 13, President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency. President Trump’s declaration allows for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to “waive or modify certain requirements of the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children’s Health Insurance programs.” 

Texas declared a state of emergency later than many states, only doing so on March 13 — the same day as President Trump. 

Mimicking orders made during wartime, President Trump ordered General Motors, General Electric, Hill-Rom, Medtronic, ResMed, Royal Philips, Vyaire Medical and 3M to redirect their vehicular production to ventilators under the Defense Production Act. 

Fearing a recession, President Trump previously wanted to reopen the American economy come Easter on April 12, however, that hope quickly became extinguished as the U.S. number of cases became the highest in the world — meaning that re-opening the economy prematurely may cause an increased number of transmissions, worsening the spread.  

President Trump reversed that position later, and now has asked governors to take individual action to re-open on May 1. 

In that time, the legislative branch passed a $2 trillion stimulus package called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act. 

According to Sidley.com, the stimulus package covers the following: 

“(I) loans, guarantees and subsidies available to qualifying small businesses; 

(II) general assistance available to all qualifying American businesses; 

(III) modifications to property tax and protections for homeowners and renters; 

(IV) relief for colleges, universities and their students; 

(V) unemployment insurance, tax credits and rebates to individuals; 

(VI) direct lending to qualifying businesses; 

(VII) assistance to air carriers and other businesses related to air transportation; and 

(VIII) support for the national healthcare system.”

And while the U.S. federal government has taken some action, some Americans still feel more could be done. For example, Georgia beaches continue to be open and many feel that the country’s response is divided as governors take charge with different approaches rather than a united set of orders from the federal government.

Brazil 

Brazil currently has the largest number of cases in South America. The cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have imposed lockdowns, and President Jair Bolosonaro has imposed a 30-day ban on non-residents attempting to enter the country. 

President Bolsonaro’s fear of a recession has taken priority. President Bolsonaro has been battling with his governors over the legitimacy of concerns over COVID-19. After a push from the administration, a few governors have agreed with President Bolsonaro’s approach and reopened some aspects of their commerce and public transportation. 

“I’m sorry, some people will die, they will die, that’s life. You can’t stop a car factory because of traffic deaths,” Bolsonaro announced to his country. 

Their lack of resources has the country turning to creative solutions, including turning the prior Olympics Maracana stadium into a hospital. Ambev SA, a São Paulo brewery, has redirected their alcohol production to hand sanitizers. 

However, with a president who has compared a pandemic to car accidents, many believe the country is yet to set strong enough measures to fight the global pandemic. 

Iran

From the threat of war between Iran and the U.S. to a lack of necessary resources to treat those infected, Iran is suffering greatly under COVID-19. Many claim that Iran is underplaying their numbers, and that the problem is much worse than the country reports it to be. 

Iran currently has the highest amount of cases in the Middle East. However, the media has been flooded with conspiracy theories and false remedies, leaving some citizens turning to methanol and getting hospitalized as a result. Iranians blame their lack of resources on sanctions imposed by the U.S. 

And while the sanctions have made an impact, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, rejected an aid proposal from the U.S. State Department on March 22, claiming that since conspiracy theories of the U.S. being responsible for the pandemic are afloat, it would be irresponsible to accept aid from them. Iran also asked Doctors Without Borders to leave the country.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is looking to ease pandemic measures to restart their economy. Iran has currently closed schools, universities, some pilgrimage sites, Friday prayers and Parliament. 

France

France currently has neither the most nor the least number of cases in Europe. President Emmanuel Macron placed the entire country under lockdown by March 17, and the government has created a form that citizens must fill out to justify any outings. 

While France’s centralized system allows for quick and swift action, France has also seen a shortage of masks and is behind on testing. 

And though France has taken more drastic action than many countries, the public still criticizes the government for not banning other gatherings during the initial spread, such as a gathering of people dressing up as Smurfs on March 7, which broke the Guinness World Record. 

India

Mid-March, India banned all international flights. The country has since denied visas for traveling to France, Spain and Germany, and closed their border with Myanmar. The country, under full lockdown, has begun turning train carriages and sports stadiums to wards for those infected. 

Many say India’s measures against COVID-19 are the harshest, with a national curfew, and the shut-down of public transportation systems. Those who have broken the set measures to reduce transmission have faced severe consequences from law enforcement such as assault. 

The country has passed a $22.6 billion — or a 1.7-trillion-rupee — relief package which aims to help with the economic impact of COVID-19, similar to the one passed in the U.S. As migrant workers faced the hardest consequences as a result of curfews and shut-downs, the package will work to help that demographic. The package addresses cash transfers, food security, payments to farmers, free cooking gas for those living in poverty for three months, contributions toward retirement plans form the government and 5-million-rupee insurance cover for medical workers.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up a fund called PM CARES, or the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund. It has currently attracted donations from CEOs, Bollywood actors and even the Board of Cricket. 

Indian virologist Minal Dakhave Bhosale helped add India to the list of countries that have developed their own test. The test, called Patho Lab, delivers results in 2.5 hours and costs 1,200 rupees, or $15.74. 

Russia

According to Amnesty International, Russia has violently arrested and wrongfully detained Russian doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva for exposing the flaws in their medical systems during a pandemic. 

“It is staggering that the Russian authorities appear to fear criticism more than the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. They justify the arrest and detention of Anastasia Vasilyeva on the pretext that she and her fellow medics violated travel restrictions — in fact, they were attempting to deliver vital protective equipment to medics at a local hospital,”  Amnesty International’s  Russia Director Natalia Zviagina said. “By keeping her behind bars they expose their true motive — they are willing to punish health professionals who dare contradict the official Russian narrative and expose flaws in the public health system.”

In addition, the European External Action Service has accused Russia and China of spreading fake news about COVID-19. Perhaps what’s more shocking is the accusation that Russian President Vladimir Putin is using the cover of COVID-19 to “create a new world order,” by blaming Western society for the current state of affairs.  

President Putin has extended his no-work order to the end of April in an attempt to curb transmissions. President Putin has asked that people still be paid their wages, even during the no-work order, the exemption to that rule being those designated as “essential businesses” who will still work through this period. 

North Korea

North Korea currently claims to have no cases of COVID-19, a claim which many have put under the microscope. North Korea did take swift and early action, closing their borders in January which were previously only open for trade with China. The totalitarian government has taken advantage of the tools at their disposal for quick and drastic action. However, international sanctions suggest that North Korea may not be equipped to deal with this pandemic. 

North Korea is said to have quarantined 10,000 people, but many have doubts as to whether or not the country had the resources to pull off this feat. 

The New York Times had the following to say about their current medical conditions and practices: 

“A red wooden marker on a sidewalk covered with a dirty slush of ice said ‘disinfection station,’ according to a clip, which was ​smuggled to the Rev. Kim Seung-eun, a human rights activist in South Korea, and viewed by The New York Times. A lone official in a green plastic suit with a tank of disinfecting liquid on his back stood idly. A silver van raced through the town blaring the importance of wearing masks. In another clip, a sign saying ‘Quarantined’ was stuck on the door of what looked like a tenement house where Reverend Kim said people with possible ​symptoms were kept.”

Should the pandemic already be in North Korea, sanctions would not bode well for reducing deaths. Some say North Korea’s claim is based on lack of testing, with nobody testing positive because there is no test. Since North Korea regularly uses propaganda, the country has been put under a media blackout with citizens unaware of the true realities of COVID-19 outside of official government reports. 

According to Snopes, the rumors of the first North Korean to be shot dead after having tested positive are just that, rumors. 

China

While China is on the mend as they have begun to report no new cases,their first cases began appearing in November, and only slowed down in March. The country was also able to take swift and drastic action, as they are a communist country. 

However, many question whether the drastic lengths to which China went were necessary. China was already under fire for their recent social credit scores, but the recent developments went even further than that. China had authorities going door-to-door doing check-up, and young kids with even mild symptoms were separated from their parents. Drones were outside monitoring citizens, and facial-recognition software was combined with a mandatory app which determined who could go where. 

China, just like North Korea, implemented a media blackout for their citizens so that Chinese residents could only access information which was provided to them by the government. 

And while Wuhan is said to have no new cases, some  people who tested positive and recovered are actually testing positive again, which many worry might be indicative of a second wave. 

As the world goes through this pandemic together, citizens find that countries are either doing too little or too much. Only time will tell how kindly history remembers each country for their responses to COVID-19.