https://us.cnn.com/2020/11/03/africa/africa-coronavirus-lessons-opinion-intl/index.html
With African countries expected to be a leader in Covid cases, their 1.8 million positives have shown that not to be true compared to the US's 9 million cases. Some say this could be due to poor testing, while others say they simply handled the pandemic better than the US. Recent reports show that deaths in African countries have been .28 in one day while the US reports around 70 deaths each day. Europe has now opened up to Africa. These numbers are surprising considering levels of GDP in both countries. This article mentions that their increased "civic duty" is the reason for these differences or maybe their more aggressive lockdown measures. Although, African readiness scores are up to 78%, and they are able to run hundreds of tests. There also seems to be more trust between the CDC and African citizens and between them and their leaders.
What do you think these differences are due to?
Back in April, I talked with one of my former co-workers from South Africa, who was in the U.S. for a year, about the coronavirus. She had noted that back home, in South Africa, the coronavirus was not overly bad because they had taken immediate action and were more strict on people following guidelines and restrictions. Whereas, the U.S., on the other hand, was more lenient. I think the timing of response and the way it got handled in the early stages is the biggest reason for the differences between African countries and the U.S. right now.
ReplyDeleteI think that the culture of Africa helps slow the spread of coronavirus. Many people stay within their families, and are more likely to follow the governments orders. Some African nations are used to being in lockdown for wars and threats, so it is not as much of a change.
ReplyDeleteMany countries in Africa still have rather strict and powerful governments. This is due to the fairly recent developments of many African nations post colonialism. Unlike the US, it is likely that governments took quick and affirmative actions rather than allowing each state to decide its own.
ReplyDeletei agree with you Ethan in that many African countries are used to being limited and ordered by there government, I certainly think that this familiarity with lockdowns and limitations that African countries are used to has definitely caused them to follow them much better than their European and American counterparts
ReplyDeleteI believe that since African countries have been third world countries, therefore, they would have more immunization against diseases. This would cause them to have a greater immune system allowing a less likely chance of getting covid-19. At the same time, countries in Africa cannot stop there work so they resume working and not letting a huge pandemic affect their earnings, therefore, this means they would not want to get tested because this would cause them to be hospitalized or quarantined and not letting them work. The states cannot learn from African countries because the states have always had advanced medicine and technology that might have prevented a lot of deaths and diseases, but at the same time, reduced immunity due to the culture. Both have different results and different cases and I believe they cannot be compared.
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