cover image Fighting the First Wave: Why the Coronavirus Was Tackled So Differently Across the Globe

Fighting the First Wave: Why the Coronavirus Was Tackled So Differently Across the Globe

Peter Baldwin. Cambridge Univ, $24.95 (350p) ISBN 978-1-316-51833-5

UCLA history professor Baldwin (Disease and Democracy) delivers a comprehensive survey of how different countries have responded to the Covid-19 pandemic. The three most prevalent strategies, according to Baldwin, have been targeted quarantines like the ones imposed in China, which “spar[ed] the bulk of the population” by isolating the infected and their contacts; a “hands-off mitigation” approach, as seen in Brazil; and suppression, such as the statewide lockdowns imposed in some parts of the U.S. Baldwin points out that pandemic responses have sometimes run counter to national political identities; liberal New Zealand, for instance, has taken a similar approach to autocratic China. He makes clear that researchers still don’t know why some parts of the world have been less hard-hit than others, and notes that Covid-19 may have opened the door for governments in the U.S. and the U.K to play a larger role in tackling social problems. But it’s too early to tell if that opportunity will be realized, or whether true international cooperation will emerge on public health matters. Brisk and informative, this first draft history of the pandemic is a valuable resource for policymakers and lay readers looking to go beyond the headlines. (Apr.)