We should learn from the Asia–Pacific responses to COVID-19

The relative global successes of strategies to control the COVID-19 pandemic, keep their economies afloat and avoid longer, harsh lockdown measures are markedly skewed towards the Asia–Pacific region. These successes are largely attributable to the urgent action taken by many Asia–Pacific jurisdictions to eliminate community transmission through a series of non-pharmaceutical interventions: a ‘zero-COVID’ strategy. In parts of western Europe and the Americas, premature easing of restrictions has preceded resurgences of SARS-CoV-2 infections.