Which places have done the best job of protecting people from Covid? A thread.

Best at early action: TAIWAN. Quickly halted flights, quarantined travelers, implemented widespread testing, and quadrupled face mask production within a month. The US now has more cases and deaths every 5 minutes than Taiwan has had to date.

Best at learning from recent epidemics: LIBERIA. Hit hard by Ebola in 2014, Liberia was one of the first countries to screen for Covid at airports and implement comprehensive control measures, including rapid testing, complete contact tracing, and effective quarantine.

Best at crushing the curve: NEW ZEALAND, which began preparing hospitals and border control policies in February, then implemented a countrywide lockdown in late March with the goal of eliminating Covid entirely. Clear, empathetic communication has been essential.

Best location in the US: AMERICAN SAMOA. On high alert after a 2019 measles outbreak, health authorities halted all incoming passenger flights and have managed to prevent any Covid cases.

Best at testing: SOUTH KOREA. In the pandemic's first weeks, the country tested aggressively, conducting more than twice as many tests per capita as other countries.

Best at quarantining: HONG KONG. Despite having one of the highest population densities in the world, it kept cases low through strategic testing, mandatory isolation protocols, and quarantine centers for people exposed to Covid.