“How East beat West on Covid-19”. So ran the headline. I’ve seen a number of such articles hailing the triumph of Asian nations, applauding regional case numbers like World Cup football scores. Some even extolled Asian cultures, crediting Confucianism. One article lauding Malaysia quoted a Singapore academic: “Ethnic Malay cultures ... promote banding together against common threats.” Erm, really? That’s how Malaysia beat the virus?
Covid-19 is complex, so comparisons and generalisations are problematic. There’s more behind the case numbers.