In pandemic recovery, New York has had more success than Mass. What explains the gap?

Germany has emerged during the coronavirus pandemic as a country that has successfully been able to avoid the worst-case scenario, unlike many other countries still battling the virus. Although the country hasn't escaped unscathed, the country's accessible and reliable health care system and a public trust in government officials both helped form the country's successful response to the outbreak.

New York's success in eventually controlling the spread of coronavirus can be attributed to a few key factors. Unlike Massachusetts, which experienced fluctuating COVID-19 infections on its way to recovery, New York has had a steady decline. Strict social distancing guidelines and tough enforcement of businesses that did not adhere to the rules, proved effective in keeping infection rates low. NY also banned indoor dining which was allowed as early as June in MA.

In Montana, a group of professionals were brought together to collaborate on the pandemic recovery effort underway in Bozeman, with the economic development director at the helm. Known as the Bozeman Economic Recovery and Resiliency Team, the group is comprised of 25 members including business leaders, local and state government officials, education leadership, and representatives from tourism and childcare industries, among others. The group was formed at the outset of the pandemic to efficiently communicate constantly-shifting information, ascertain needs, and manage local recovery efforts.

The Netherlands approach of balancing the potential for future economic hardship with the current risk of Covid-19 spreading has appeared to have helped the country to flatten the curve of cases faster than other areas that implemented mandatory lockdown measures. Although critics of this "controlled distribution" approach point out that the country has still seen thousands of deaths and could see future waves of outbreaks, at this point in time, "the Netherlands has both flattened the curve and kept life tolerable."

During the onset of the pandemic, countries around the world took a variety of different measures to protect its citizens and economies. While some countries continue to be negatively affected by the coronavirus, places like Vietnam, Canada, Croatia, Finland, and New Zealand reacted by taking restrictive measures from the start and have successfully contained the virus. Responses include distributing funds to individuals and businesses on the honors system, closing down everything except grocery stores, hospitals, and pharmacies, as well as rapid implementation of widespread testing.

Although public health experts agree that New York was initially slow to implement protocols to protect citizens from COVID-19, they also agree that the state was able to gain control over the virus due to the actions the governor and the public eventually took. Protocols that have proved successful for the state include a mask mandate, a stay-at-home order and a delay in reopeneing businesses despite a decrease in cases.

The Japanese government is embracing the idea of "workation" trips for employees across industries as a means to "help the travel industry and keep the economy ticking" as the country moves forward in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Discounts for various travel resources have encouraged 4.2 million people to try out the idea which has been made even more feasible due to the widespread adoption of remote teleworking.

The CARES Act was meant to help small businesses, including hospitals, find financial stability during the coronavirus pandemic, but confusing guidelines and a lack of oversight have impeded the success. This reality has been especially difficult for rural hospitals, some of which "have left millions in relief aid untouched, spiraling deeper into debt for fear that the wrong decision could force them to return money."

A small cohort of states have eased restrictions and eliminated beauracratic barriers for foreign-trained doctors to practice medicine in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic as a means of better staffing hospitals. The states that have created these temporary licenses for "foreign-trained nurses, certified nurse’s aides, physician assistants and many other health professionals" have recieved numerous applications, although not all who apply qualify.

Australia's aggressive and strict protocols surrounding COVID-19 have helped the country to return to normalcy and avoid high death tolls and transmission rates, especially compared to the U.S. and Europe. Although the approach has included strict lockdowns, the community has reacted largely from a perspective of "short-term pain for collective gain."