Question

RESEARCH REPORT

The Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 has caused great physical, emotional, and economic devastation on a global level. Certain countries have done a relatively better job, to date, dealing with both the significant health crisis – in terms of containing the disease and also allowing their economies to continue operating without complete freezing of economic activity. Your report should compare and contrast two different countries: 1. A country doing a poor job balancing health and economic impacts vs. 2. A country doing a relatively good job balancing the health and economic impacts. The following issues should be discussed and analyzed in your report:

• What have the governments done differently – from both economic and health policy standpoints? (200 WORDS)
• How have businesses reacted differently in the two countries? (200 WORDS)
• How have citizens responded to the crisis? (200 WORDS)
• Is it possible to properly balance the health and economic interests of the country? How? (200 WORDS)
• What are the key economic and health measures lessons Canada can learn from these lessons from other countries?

Answer 1

_Answer

Here we are comparing the reports of two countries

A .Pakistan

B . New Zealand

1. The governments done differently – from both economic and health policy standpoints

Pakistan

This research aims to show the positive and negative indirect effects of COVID-19 on the environment, particularly in the most affected countries such as China, USA, Italy, and Spain.

For the first time in 68 years, Pakistan’s economy is set to contract in the outgoing fiscal year with a negative 0.38 per cent due to the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic coupled with the already weak financial situation before the pandemic hit the country.

Advisor on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, releasing the Pakistan Economic Survey 2019-20 said the economy suffered massively due to the coronavirus pandemic which has so far infected about 120,000 people in the country.

New Zealand

Wellington, New Zealand has lifted almost all of its coronavirus restrictions after reporting no active cases in the country.

At midnight local time (12:00 GMT), all of New Zealand moved to level one, the lowest of a four-tier alert system, the BBC reported on Monday.

Under new rules, social distancing is not required and there are no limits on public gatherings, but borders remain closed to foreigners.

New Zealand has reported no new Covid-19 cases for more than two weeks.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters she did "a little dance" when she was told the country no longer had any active virus cases.

"While we're in a safer, stronger position, there's still no easy path back to pre-Covid life, but the determination and focus we have had on our health response will now be vested in our economic rebuild," Ardern said.

2

Effect on Business in Different countries

Pakistan

The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has severely affected the global and Pakistani economy. Major victims of the COVID-19 outbreak are micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This article aims to assess the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on these businesses and provide policy recommendations to help MSMEs in reducing business losses and survive through the crisis. The results indicate that most of the participating enterprises have been severely affected and they are facing several issues such as financial, supply chain disruption, decrease in demand, reduction in sales and profit, among others. Besides, over 83% of enterprises were neither prepared nor have any plan to handle such a situation. Further, more than two-thirds of participating enterprises reported that they could not survive if the lockdown lasts more than two months.

New Zealand

The impact of COVID-19 on New Zealand businesses and their balance sheets is unprecedented. Although the level and type of threats vary greatly across businesses, executives and boards need to rapidly assess their exposure and prepare response plans to ensure they can generate sufficient cash to survive.

3. Citizens responded to this crisis in different countries

The pandemic, if it continues to be underplayed by the government, may pose a formidable challenge for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s leadership — along with causing a serious health crisis in a country of 220 million people with a weak healthcare system.

It has been 100 days since Pakistan registered its first coronavirus case. But the government has yet to come out with a unified statement and an orderly policy to inform, educate, and protect the masses. Instead, the public tends to follow dangerously fatalist and superstitious approaches rather than paying heed to science and health experts.

New Zealand takes early and hard action to tackle COVID-19.New Zealand took a precautionary approach and on 26 March, apart from essential workers, the entire country was required to self-quarantine at home.”

WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Kasai, explains that New Zealand combined strict physical distancing with strong testing, contact tracing, clinical management of those infected, and clear and regular public communication. The country also took steps to cushion the economic blow.

3. Properly balance the health and economic interests of the country

Yes it possible to properly balance the health and economic interests of the country.Although the resources and knowledge for achieving improved global health exist, a new, critical paradigm on health as an aspect of human development, human security, and human rights is needed. Such a shift is required to sufficiently modify and credibly reduce the present dominance of perverse market forces on global health.

We need a new balance of values and new ways of thinking and acting. This new thinking must transcend national and institutional boundaries and recognize that, in a globalizing world, health and disease in the most privileged nations is closely linked to health and disease in impoverished countries.2,5,23,34 Sustainable improvement in health and well-being is a necessity for all, and the value placed on health should permeate every area of social and economic activity.

4 . The key economic and health measures lessons Canada can learn from these lessons from other countries.

As Canada moves to start easing lockdown measures, experts say there are key lessons we can learn from other countries to avoid risking a sudden spike in new COVID-19 cases.

Countries like South Korea and Germany lifted some restrictions and have faced setbacks — but also did some things right.

What they've shown is that easing measures could result in new outbreaks and a return to restrictions if not handled correctly. Experts say effective testing, tracing and isolating of cases need to be put in place before reopening.

1. Wave, spike or cluster - it's unavoidable

2. Restrictions may have to return

3. Quarantining visitors from abroad

4. Don't lose 'test and trace' momentum.