How China turned the tide with coronavirus
The Chinese have taken unprecedented action to combat the spread of coronavirus and it seems to be working. How did they do it?
There are now significantly more new cases of coronavirus outside China than inside. On the first day of this week there were only 44 new cases in the whole country. Just a few weeks ago that figure was in the thousands.
While the authorities have been criticised for their initial slow response to the outbreak, allowing it to spread quickly, since January they have taken unprecedented action to clamp down on the spread of the virus. Whole cities have been put into quarantine and travel restrictions have been imposed on millions of people. New hospitals have been built with lightning speed and huge amounts of money has been spent on testing kits and other technology to fight Covid-19.
China has been accused of infringing civil liberties in its fight against Coronavirus but it has also been praised for the extreme public health measures it has taken. So what did the Chinese actually do and can it be replicated elsewhere?
Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: John Murphy
(Photo: A man talks through a barricade wall built to control entry and exit to a residential compound in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.Credit: Getty Images)
Last on
Clips
-
Coronavirus strategy: Reduce transmission by changing behaviour
Duration: 01:26
-
Coronavirus strategy: A 'turbo-charged' response built on speed
Duration: 02:34
-
Coronavirus strategy: Everybody commits to stopping the virus
Duration: 02:09
Broadcasts
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 03:06GMT大象传媒 World Service Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 04:06GMT大象传媒 World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 06:06GMT大象传媒 World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & South Asia only
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 07:06GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & East Asia only
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 15:06GMT大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 18:06GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia & West and Central Africa only
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 20:06GMT大象传媒 World Service Australasia, Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
- Thu 12 Mar 2020 21:06GMT大象传媒 World Service News Internet & East Asia only
- Sat 14 Mar 2020 17:06GMT大象传媒 World Service News Internet
- Mon 16 Mar 2020 00:06GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Mon 16 Mar 2020 09:06GMT大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & East Asia
Podcast
-
The Inquiry
Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world