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Comparison of Effects of COVID-19 between Singapore and United States

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for countries all over the world, as

it has tested their ability to respond and adapt to a new and deadly virus. Some countries, like

Singapore, have responded effectively and have been able to minimize the impact of the virus on

their population. On the other hand, other countries, like the United States, have struggled to

contain the virus, resulting in a high number of cases and deaths. In this essay, I will analyze the

different strategies used by the two countries, and evaluate their effectiveness in containing the

pandemic.

Based on my research, Singapore had an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic,

while the United States had an ineffective response. Singapore has been lauded for its highly

competent management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in a shockingly low

death toll. During a pivotal point in the epidemic, Bloomberg's COVID-19 resilience ranking

placed Singapore in first place (Thong et al., 2021). Surprisingly, the United States did worse

than most other countries as of the eleventh of March 2021, with over 29 million documented

illnesses and nearly 530,000 fatalities (Lewis, 2021). The government of Singapore acted swiftly

to put measures in place to stop the spread of the disease, including contact tracing, the use of the

TraceTogether app to facilitate tracking, and the isolation of those who had contact with sick

people (Thong et al., 2021). The government also contributed funds for the renovation of

substantial structures and other locations to serve as community isolation centers. Additionally,

the government was proactive in communicating with its people, offering them factual and lucid

guidance on how to keep safe and stop the virus from spreading. The government also

encouraged citizens to wear face masks and practice social distancing, and provided financial

assistance to those affected by the pandemic.

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The United States, on the other hand, was slower to respond to the epidemic (Lewis,

2021). Initially, the authorities underestimated the virus's impact and did not implement

widespread testing or contact tracking. The administration in the United States first minimized

the virus's threat, failing to convey correct information to the public. In addition, the government

failed to adopt proper testing, tracing, isolating, and quarantine methods, resulting in an inability

to restrict the virus's spread (Lewis, 2021). Moreover, the government failed to provide

appropriate assistance to businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic, resulting in

substantial unemployment and economic suffering. Furthermore, the government's messaging

was frequently ambiguous and conflicting. For example, the government initially advised against

the use of masks, only to later promote their usage. The government's lack of clarity has been

blamed for the high number of cases and deaths in the country. Furthermore, there was some

misunderstanding about the usage of face masks, with the authorities first opposing them and

President Donald Trump ridiculing individuals who wore them. Finally, the epidemic also

brought to light the U.S.'s failure to address systemic racial and economic disparities in health

and healthcare (Lewis, 2021).

In conclusion, it is clear that the two countries have had very different responses to the

pandemic and that Singapore's approach has been more successful. Singapore's response was

swift and decisive, and their use of contact tracing and other measures was effective in

containing the virus. On the other hand, the United States had a slower response and failed to

provide adequate support to businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic, resulting in a

high number of cases and deaths. Overall, Singapore's response to the pandemic was more

effective than the U.S.'s. By employing efficient contact tracking and isolation procedures and

informing its residents with upfront and precise information, Singapore succeeded in trying to
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stop the virus's spread. In contrast, the U.S. failed to contain the virus due to inadequate testing,

tracing and quarantine measures, along with mixed messaging on the use of masks.
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References

Lewis, T. (2021, March 11). How the U.S. pandemic response went wrong-and what went right-

during a year of COVID. Scientific American. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-u-s-pandemic-response-went-wrong-

and-what-went-right-during-a-year-of-covid/

Thong, G., Ooi, S. P. L., Araral, E., & Wu, A. M. (2021, June 23). How Singapore is handling

the pandemic. Policy Forum. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from

https://www.policyforum.net/how-singapore-is-handling-the-pandemic/