Vietnam, with a population of 96 million, has 840 cases and 11 deaths.
Cambodia, with 15.2 million, has 248 cases and no deaths.
Among every Asian nation, these two countries with significantly less resources than the United States thwarted the coronavirus. (U.S. GDP is $67,426 per capita, compared to $2,740 in Vietnam and $1,614 in Cambodia.)
To a degree, you can blame politics. Vietnam is a socialist republic and Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy.
The bigger story is what they did.
Because of their experience with SARS in 2003 and the subsequent avian flu, Vietnam and Cambodia were prepared. The countries were experienced with epidemics.
History books will say that both countries acted early and fought the coronavirus with multiple tactics. These included contact tracing to three degrees of separation, empowering citizens to report suspected cases via a mobile app, exposure risks regardless of symptoms, extensive quarantining, mask wearing, and social distancing.
Is it too late for the U.S., if federal or state leadership has the willpower, to adopt and adapt some of those tactics to work here?
