foreignpolicy--2020-03-12--Global Diplomacy Grinds to a Halt on Infection Fears

The coronavirus has all but halted the world of international diplomacy , derailing major summits and leaving diplomats stranded as governments temporarily ban international travel .
The World Trade Organization on Thursday joined a raft of United Nations agencies , financial institutions , and international organizations that have been forced by the virus ’ s spread to cancel , suspend , or postpone conferences on everything including human rights , the Law of the Sea , and antimicrobial resistance .
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres sought to assure anxious staff that he was doing everything possible to protect them , telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my greatest concern.
” “ Our world is facing an unprecedented threat , and the United Nations is facing one of the biggest challenges in our history , ” Guterres wrote Thursday in a letter to staff , which was obtained by Foreign Policy .
“ The novel coronavirus , COVID-19 , is having a major impact on us and our work , both at headquarters and in many of our field offices and duty stations.
” Guterres said he has instituted a policy that would allow staff to telecommute three days a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce the population density at U.N. headquarters .
He also said he canceled all side events at U.N. headquarters from March 16 to the end of April and has urged member states to do the same .
“ These are difficult times for everyone , ” he said .
“ My message remains : be safe , be smart , be kind.
” The trade agency announced Thursday that it would suspend all of its meetings until March 20 , following confirmation that one of its staff members tested positive for coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a June 8-to-11 meeting of health ministers in Kazakhstan , according to a senior diplomatic source .
The WTO staffer , who has not been identified , had been in contact with a group of some 30 ambassadors at a conference on plastics , hosted by the Chinese government and the Graduate Institute Geneva on Feb. 19 , according to a senior diplomat .
At the time , the staffer was showing no symptoms of the disease .
The revelation comes as the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. General Assembly , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to reduce the number of diplomats they bring to meetings and refrain from inviting visitors into the U.N. headquarters building .
The U.N. ’ s International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace , scheduled for April 24 , has been canceled .
It ’ s hard for the machinations of international diplomacy to act on big decisions without these summits , noted Thomas Wright , a scholar at the Brookings Institution .
“ The summits are forcing mechanisms for action , and in a crisis they take on an added importance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , you ’ re more likely to just have more inertia , ” he said .
“ It is our firm belief that we should not panic , ” China ’ s U.N .
Ambassador Zhang Jun , who is serving as this month ’ s president of the Security Council , told reporters on Wednesday .
But he said , “ we should take all precaution [ ary ] measures to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus in this building.
” Among the steps , he said , the council would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to participate in council debates .
Meetings in the cramped Security Council consultations room would move to the larger formal chamber , “ making sure that we have more space and less people.
” But he insisted that the council , which has the primary responsibility for managing international peace and security , “ will continue to work and to work as hard as it was in previous days.
” The U.N. General Assembly president , Tijjani Muhammad-Bande , on Wednesday announced a set of steps to stem the spread in the assembly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side meetings at the U.N. , refrain from inviting visitors into the U.N. building or asking “ non-New York area residents to serve as panelists , speakers and participants at meetings , ” according to a letter obtained by Foreign Policy .
The letter , a portion of which was previously reported by Reuters , also urged delegations to scale down the number of people at gatherings on U.N. premises , limit participation at U.N. meetings to two New York-based delegates , and postponing or scaling down national day celebrations .
It remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the U.N. ’ s vital , and far-flung , humanitarian and peacekeeping missions .
“ The [ U.N. ] agencies are assessing how and where humanitarian operations are being disrupted to try to identify solutions as quickly as possible , ” Stéphane Dujarric , the chief spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general , recently told reporters .
“ To date—and , again , I ’ d have to stress , to date—the U.N. and all of our humanitarian partners are maintaining humanitarian operations while taking the utmost precautions to ensure staff safety.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States and the U.N. Gérard Araud said it is too early to determine what impact this will have .
“ We are all wondering whether this is a blip or not a blip , ” he said .
The experience of countries such as South Korea or Taiwan , which have seen the virus spread abate , suggests that the rest of the world is headed for “ a short and violent storm ” that will see a return to normal in a couple of months .
“ This is not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be contained , ” Araud said .
The practical impact may be mitigated by the fact that even without the virus , some multilateral institutions are already paralyzed , in part over by big-power rivalries and U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s “ America First ” policies .
Even before the coronavirus struck , the U.N. Security Council was unable to muster sufficient international agreement to resolve nuclear crises in North Korea and Iran or to tackle conflicts from Libya to Syria and Yemen .
The World Trade Organization , Araud noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the last 10 years , and the Trump administration has opposed the appointment of judges to its disputes resolution panel.
” The Trump administration ’ s response to the virus appears to be increasingly inward-looking , taking drastic measures to combat the virus without consulting its global allies , despite the chorus of warnings from public health officials that such a virus knows no boundaries .
“ The bigger picture is that there ’ s no desire by the U.S. to actually lead on this , ” Wright said .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a flurry of presidential calls with key foreign dignitaries , joint statements , or other major diplomatic lifts to coordinate a global response .
“ You ’ re just not seeing that here .
… It ’ s the dog that isn ’ t barking.
” The Trump administration ’ s funding supplements to fight the virus don ’ t include a request for increased funding to the World Health Organization or other multilateral bodies fighting the spread of the pandemic .
Last month , before the virus swept through Europe and came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the administration proposed in its annual budget steep cuts to global health programs , including halving U.S. funding to the WHO .
On Wednesday evening , Trump announced a ban on travel to Europe—except the United Kingdom and Ireland—shocking senior EU leaders who said they “ disapproved ” of the decision as they weren ’ t consulted in advance .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed back on that statement , tweeting that the administration has “ been in frequent contact with our Allies , and will continue to engage with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deny that the United States hadn ’ t consulted with Europeans in advance .
Araud said the crisis provides the world , and diplomats , with an experiment that may ultimately speed the transition from physical diplomatic meetings to video conferencing .
“ This could actually accelerate the fact that sooner or later the technology will allow people to meet in the virtual world , ” he said .
Earlier this month , the heads of the IMF , Kristalina Georgieva , and the World Bank , David Malpass , announced they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which typically draw the world ’ s most influential finance ministers to Washington , by virtual linkup .
“ Like everyone else around the world , we have been deeply concerned by the evolving situation of the Coronavirus and the human tragedy surrounding it , ” they wrote in a joint March 3 statement .
“ Our goal is to serve our membership effectively while ensuring the health and safety of Spring Meetings participants and staff .
Among the other diplomat gatherings scrapped or postponed this month : The 179-member Inter-Parliamentary Union canceled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still has plans to convene in Kigali , Rwanda , in October .
The International Telecommunication Union , the International Labor Organization , and the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development have postponed a meeting scheduled in the coming weeks .
An Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit set to take place in Las Vegas was postponed , a major annual U.N. conference on women ’ s issues was curtailed , and Chinese President Xi Jinping delayed a highly anticipated trip to Japan—one that Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi called a “ once-in-a-decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department has temporarily barred travel for most of its diplomats , several officials tell Foreign Policy .
Singapore ’ s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva , Umej Bhatia , said that the diplomatic freeze could “ throw into sharp relief ” which international agencies are most vital in confronting a global scourge like the coronavirus .
“ The challenge of a global pandemic demands do-or-die action and do-or-die diplomacy , not more formalistic , set-piece grand assemblies that deliberate more than they decide , ” he told Foreign Policy .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required instead of the rituals of diplomacy and might ironically help revitalize international organizations .
WHO , in particular , plays a vital role at this time as an operational agency but also for setting norms.
” The rapid spread of the virus has dealt something of a blow to Geneva , the host of World Health Organization .
“ The city and the wider federation appear woefully underprepared to deal with the pathogen and its spread , ” said one Geneva-based ambassador .
The U.N. Human Rights Council , meanwhile , announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its annual session , citing concerns about the spread of the virus .
The decision came weeks after the council banned side meetings and implemented a plan to ensure “ ‘ social distancing ’ between participants ” at council meetings .
But the plan proved difficult to enforce , and U.N. member states and the Swiss government raised concerns about the safety .
“ We had taken new measures almost every day to create a safe environment for the continuation of the Human Rights Council , ” the council ’ s Austrian president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement announcing the suspension .
“ But yesterday , when WHO declared this is a pandemic which stretched to well over 100 countries and when we also had recommendations by the Swiss authorities , by UNOG and actually a lot of worries from various delegations we said the responsible thing now is to suspend the session in an orderly way , as we say.
” Human rights advocates voiced sympathy with the U.N. ’ s measures , but they expressed some concern that some member states may seek to use the crisis to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the council after the virus is contained .
China , Russia and other countries skeptical about human rights have persistently sought to reduce the U.N. ’ s capacity to scrutinize rights abuses and to restrict access to U.N. meetings by independent rights advocates , said Louis Charbonneau , the U.N. director for Human Rights Watch .
“ The coronavirus should not become another excuse to further reduce the capacity of U.N. rights personnel to do their extremely important work , ” Charbonneau told Foreign Policy .
But it appeared unlikely to upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the council in June 2018 , citing its disproportionate focus on alleged human rights violations by Israel .
The council was due to consider Israel ’ s rights record in the coming days .

The coronavirus has all but halted the world of international diplomacy, derailing major summits and leaving diplomats stranded as governments temporarily ban international travel.
The coronavirus has all but halted the world of international diplomacy, derailing major summits and leaving diplomats stranded as governments temporarily ban international travel.
The World Trade Organization on Thursday joined a raft of United Nations agencies, financial institutions, and international organizations that have been forced by the virus’s spread to cancel, suspend, or postpone conferences on everything including human rights, the Law of the Sea, and antimicrobial resistance.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres sought to assure anxious staff that he was doing everything possible to protect them, telling them “your health and well-being remain my greatest concern.”
“Our world is facing an unprecedented threat, and the United Nations is facing one of the biggest challenges in our history,” Guterres wrote Thursday in a letter to staff, which was obtained by Foreign Policy. “The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is having a major impact on us and our work, both at headquarters and in many of our field offices and duty stations.”
[Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak: Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it’s affecting countries around the world.]
Guterres said he has instituted a policy that would allow staff to telecommute three days a week, five for high-risk employees, to reduce the population density at U.N. headquarters. He also said he canceled all side events at U.N. headquarters from March 16 to the end of April and has urged member states to do the same.
“These are difficult times for everyone,” he said. “My message remains: be safe, be smart, be kind.”
The trade agency announced Thursday that it would suspend all of its meetings until March 20, following confirmation that one of its staff members tested positive for coronavirus. It is also expected to postpone a June 8-to-11 meeting of health ministers in Kazakhstan, according to a senior diplomatic source.
The WTO staffer, who has not been identified, had been in contact with a group of some 30 ambassadors at a conference on plastics, hosted by the Chinese government and the Graduate Institute Geneva on Feb. 19, according to a senior diplomat. At the time, the staffer was showing no symptoms of the disease.
The revelation comes as the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. General Assembly, the world’s parliament, have announced plans to reduce the number of diplomats they bring to meetings and refrain from inviting visitors into the U.N. headquarters building. The U.N.’s International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, scheduled for April 24, has been canceled.
It’s hard for the machinations of international diplomacy to act on big decisions without these summits, noted Thomas Wright, a scholar at the Brookings Institution. “The summits are forcing mechanisms for action, and in a crisis they take on an added importance. If you don’t have that, you’re more likely to just have more inertia,” he said.
“It is our firm belief that we should not panic,” China’s U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun, who is serving as this month’s president of the Security Council, told reporters on Wednesday. But he said, “we should take all precaution[ary] measures to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus in this building.”
Among the steps, he said, the council would likely reduce the number of diplomats permitted to participate in council debates. Meetings in the cramped Security Council consultations room would move to the larger formal chamber, “making sure that we have more space and less people.”
But he insisted that the council, which has the primary responsibility for managing international peace and security, “will continue to work and to work as hard as it was in previous days.”
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The U.N. General Assembly president, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, on Wednesday announced a set of steps to stem the spread in the assembly chamber, urging U.N. members to cancel side meetings at the U.N., refrain from inviting visitors into the U.N. building or asking “non-New York area residents to serve as panelists, speakers and participants at meetings,” according to a letter obtained by Foreign Policy. The letter, a portion of which was previously reported by Reuters, also urged delegations to scale down the number of people at gatherings on U.N. premises, limit participation at U.N. meetings to two New York-based delegates, and postponing or scaling down national day celebrations.
It remains unclear what impact the coronavirus will have on the U.N.’s vital, and far-flung, humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. “The [U.N.] agencies are assessing how and where humanitarian operations are being disrupted to try to identify solutions as quickly as possible,” Stéphane Dujarric, the chief spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general, recently told reporters. “To date—and, again, I’d have to stress, to date—the U.N. and all of our humanitarian partners are maintaining humanitarian operations while taking the utmost precautions to ensure staff safety.”
France’s former ambassador to the United States and the U.N. Gérard Araud said it is too early to determine what impact this will have. “We are all wondering whether this is a blip or not a blip,” he said.
The experience of countries such as South Korea or Taiwan, which have seen the virus spread abate, suggests that the rest of the world is headed for “a short and violent storm” that will see a return to normal in a couple of months. “This is not the black plague; it is something that can be contained,” Araud said.
The practical impact may be mitigated by the fact that even without the virus, some multilateral institutions are already paralyzed, in part over by big-power rivalries and U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies.
Even before the coronavirus struck, the U.N. Security Council was unable to muster sufficient international agreement to resolve nuclear crises in North Korea and Iran or to tackle conflicts from Libya to Syria and Yemen. The World Trade Organization, Araud noted, is “more or less paralyzed for the last 10 years, and the Trump administration has opposed the appointment of judges to its disputes resolution panel.”
The Trump administration’s response to the virus appears to be increasingly inward-looking, taking drastic measures to combat the virus without consulting its global allies, despite the chorus of warnings from public health officials that such a virus knows no boundaries. “The bigger picture is that there’s no desire by the U.S. to actually lead on this,” Wright said. He said in a traditional U.S. response would include a flurry of presidential calls with key foreign dignitaries, joint statements, or other major diplomatic lifts to coordinate a global response. “You’re just not seeing that here. … It’s the dog that isn’t barking.”
The Trump administration’s funding supplements to fight the virus don’t include a request for increased funding to the World Health Organization or other multilateral bodies fighting the spread of the pandemic. Last month, before the virus swept through Europe and came in full force to the United States, the administration proposed in its annual budget steep cuts to global health programs, including halving U.S. funding to the WHO.
On Wednesday evening, Trump announced a ban on travel to Europe—except the United Kingdom and Ireland—shocking senior EU leaders who said they “disapproved” of the decision as they weren’t consulted in advance. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed back on that statement, tweeting that the administration has “been in frequent contact with our Allies, and will continue to engage with them.” He didn’t outright deny that the United States hadn’t consulted with Europeans in advance.
Araud said the crisis provides the world, and diplomats, with an experiment that may ultimately speed the transition from physical diplomatic meetings to video conferencing. “This could actually accelerate the fact that sooner or later the technology will allow people to meet in the virtual world,” he said.
Earlier this month, the heads of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, and the World Bank, David Malpass, announced they would jointly host their annual spring meetings, which typically draw the world’s most influential finance ministers to Washington, by virtual linkup. “Like everyone else around the world, we have been deeply concerned by the evolving situation of the Coronavirus and the human tragedy surrounding it,” they wrote in a joint March 3 statement. “Our goal is to serve our membership effectively while ensuring the health and safety of Spring Meetings participants and staff.
Among the other diplomat gatherings scrapped or postponed this month: The 179-member Inter-Parliamentary Union canceled its annual Geneva assembly in April—though it still has plans to convene in Kigali, Rwanda, in October. The International Telecommunication Union, the International Labor Organization, and the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development have postponed a meeting scheduled in the coming weeks. An Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit set to take place in Las Vegas was postponed, a major annual U.N. conference on women’s issues was curtailed, and Chinese President Xi Jinping delayed a highly anticipated trip to Japan—one that Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi called a “once-in-a-decade event.” In Washington, the State Department has temporarily barred travel for most of its diplomats, several officials tell Foreign Policy.
Singapore’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Umej Bhatia, said that the diplomatic freeze could “throw into sharp relief” which international agencies are most vital in confronting a global scourge like the coronavirus.
“The challenge of a global pandemic demands do-or-die action and do-or-die diplomacy, not more formalistic, set-piece grand assemblies that deliberate more than they decide,” he told Foreign Policy. “This will sort out what’s really required instead of the rituals of diplomacy and might ironically help revitalize international organizations. WHO, in particular, plays a vital role at this time as an operational agency but also for setting norms.”
The rapid spread of the virus has dealt something of a blow to Geneva, the host of World Health Organization. “The city and the wider federation appear woefully underprepared to deal with the pathogen and its spread,” said one Geneva-based ambassador.
The U.N. Human Rights Council, meanwhile, announced Thursday that it intends to indefinitely suspend its annual session, citing concerns about the spread of the virus. The decision came weeks after the council banned side meetings and implemented a plan to ensure “‘social distancing’ between participants” at council meetings. But the plan proved difficult to enforce, and U.N. member states and the Swiss government raised concerns about the safety.
“We had taken new measures almost every day to create a safe environment for the continuation of the Human Rights Council,” the council’s Austrian president, Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, said in a statement announcing the suspension. “But yesterday, when WHO declared this is a pandemic which stretched to well over 100 countries and when we also had recommendations by the Swiss authorities, by UNOG and actually a lot of worries from various delegations we said the responsible thing now is to suspend the session in an orderly way, as we say.”
Human rights advocates voiced sympathy with the U.N.’s measures, but they expressed some concern that some member states may seek to use the crisis to maintain restrictions on the advocates’ access to the council after the virus is contained.
China, Russia and other countries skeptical about human rights have persistently sought to reduce the U.N.’s capacity to scrutinize rights abuses and to restrict access to U.N. meetings by independent rights advocates, said Louis Charbonneau, the U.N. director for Human Rights Watch.
“The coronavirus should not become another excuse to further reduce the capacity of U.N. rights personnel to do their extremely important work,” Charbonneau told Foreign Policy.
But it appeared unlikely to upset the United States, which withdrew from the council in June 2018, citing its disproportionate focus on alleged human rights violations by Israel. The council was due to consider Israel’s rights record in the coming days.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-12--Critics Say Trump’s Choice to Ban Travel From Europe but Not U.K. Makes No Sense

Critics Say Trump ’ s Choice to Ban Travel From Europe but Not U.K. Makes No Sense LONDON—U.S .
President Donald Trump ’ s decision to exclude the United Kingdom and Ireland from a European travel ban in response to the COVID-19 virus is being criticized in the face of concerns that London is not doing enough to stop the pandemic .
In some respects , critics say , the U.K. is doing less than some governments in the European Union .
Sources in England ’ s top soccer league told Foreign Policy that there were no plans to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matches that other sports leagues across the world have taken .
The U.K. ’ s exclusion from Trump ’ s coronavirus travel ban , which he announced Wednesday night , comes amid criticism of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s reaction to the pandemic .
U.K. leaders “ claim they are following the science .
But that is not true .
The evidence is clear .
We need urgent implementation of social distancing and closure policies , ” Richard Horton , the editor of the Lancet medical journal , said on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the public.
” British authorities denied this .
“ Our response to # coronavirus follows an evidence-based assessment of what is happening in this country , ” the British Department of Health and Social Care responded .
Without apparent evidence , Trump declared that the U.K. and his ally Prime Minister Johnson are “ doing a good job.
” And to the outrage of EU leaders , who on Thursday condemned Trump ’ s decision , the U.S. president said that European travelers had “ seeded ” infection clusters in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect 26 European nations but not two countries that Trump has been friendly with ( and also owns properties in ) : the United Kingdom and Ireland .
Trump ’ s decision is “ clearly not based on science , ” Jeremy Konyndyk , a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development who helped direct the U.S. response to the Ebola crisis , told Foreign Policy .
The U.K. reported March 12 that it has 590 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus , which was the largest single day-rise on record .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infections in both countries is significantly lower than in other European nations such as Italy , Spain , Germany , and France , which all have more than 2,000 cases .
But experts say that just because there have only been a relatively small number of cases in the U.K. and Ireland so far doesn ’ t make it safer .
That fact makes those countries ’ omission from the travel restrictions a puzzling gap in Trump ’ s surprise ban that sparked anger among EU officials .
“ The European Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation , ” said European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a joint statement .
The coronavirus can cause respiratory infections , and common symptoms include coughing , fever , and shortness of breath .
There are nearly 130,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide and nearly 5,000 reported deaths .
The World Health Organization advises regular hand-washing , social distancing , and self-quarantining for those who display symptoms .
Some European nations have taken sharp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Most drastic is Italy , which has 12,000 cases and has shut down shops nationwide .
The Czech Republic on Thursday barred entry of nationals of 15 countries , including the U.K. Also on Thursday , Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said that all schools , colleges , and public facilities would shut down for at least two weeks in response to the pandemic .
He said indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 should be canceled .
As some European countries were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , British officials were taking a different course .
Johnson said that more people were likely to die in the U.K. and said it was “ the worst public health crisis in a generation.
” He said the U.K. ’ s response would be guided by the science and said that sporting events and schools will remain open for now because closing them could do “ more harm than good.
” As sports leagues around Europe announced that games that would be played without spectators or outright suspended , a spokeswoman for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soccer league , told Foreign Policy on Thursday morning the organization had no plans to hold matches behind closed doors or cancel fixtures .
An official from a top Premier League club told Foreign Policy they would follow the government ’ s advice .
The dramatic differences in Europe ’ s response to the coronavirus were on display Wednesday night in the continent ’ s top athletic competition .
At bars , screens showed the French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain host the German club Borussia Dortmund to an empty stadium .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosted the Spanish team Atlético Madrid to a full stadium .
Fans from Madrid marched around Liverpool despite the Spanish capital being a hot spot for the virus .
Hours later , the Spanish La Liga that Atlético Madrid plays in was suspended for two weeks .
One of the few examples of altered social practices came when Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp appeared to scold fans trying to high-five players .
“ Put your hands away , you fucking idiots , ” he appeared to say .

LONDON—U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude the United Kingdom and Ireland from a European travel ban in response to the COVID-19 virus is being criticized in the face of concerns that London is not doing enough to stop the pandemic.
LONDON—U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude the United Kingdom and Ireland from a European travel ban in response to the COVID-19 virus is being criticized in the face of concerns that London is not doing enough to stop the pandemic.
In some respects, critics say, the U.K. is doing less than some governments in the European Union. Sources in England’s top soccer league told Foreign Policy that there were no plans to take actions such as banning spectators or suspending matches that other sports leagues across the world have taken.
The U.K.’s exclusion from Trump’s coronavirus travel ban, which he announced Wednesday night, comes amid criticism of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s reaction to the pandemic. U.K. leaders “claim they are following the science. But that is not true. The evidence is clear. We need urgent implementation of social distancing and closure policies,” Richard Horton, the editor of the Lancet medical journal, said on Twitter. “The government is playing roulette with the public.”
British authorities denied this. “Our response to #coronavirus follows an evidence-based assessment of what is happening in this country,” the British Department of Health and Social Care responded.
[Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak: Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it’s affecting countries around the world.]
Without apparent evidence, Trump declared that the U.K. and his ally Prime Minister Johnson are “doing a good job.” And to the outrage of EU leaders, who on Thursday condemned Trump’s decision, the U.S. president said that European travelers had “seeded” infection clusters in the United States.
The monthlong travel ban will affect 26 European nations but not two countries that Trump has been friendly with (and also owns properties in): the United Kingdom and Ireland. Trump’s decision is “clearly not based on science,” Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development who helped direct the U.S. response to the Ebola crisis, told Foreign Policy.
The U.K. reported March 12 that it has 590 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, which was the largest single day-rise on record. Ireland reported 43 cases. The number of infections in both countries is significantly lower than in other European nations such as Italy, Spain, Germany, and France, which all have more than 2,000 cases. But experts say that just because there have only been a relatively small number of cases in the U.K. and Ireland so far doesn’t make it safer. That fact makes those countries’ omission from the travel restrictions a puzzling gap in Trump’s surprise ban that sparked anger among EU officials.
“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the U.S. decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation,” said European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a joint statement.
The coronavirus can cause respiratory infections, and common symptoms include coughing, fever, and shortness of breath. There are nearly 130,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide and nearly 5,000 reported deaths. The World Health Organization advises regular hand-washing, social distancing, and self-quarantining for those who display symptoms.
Some European nations have taken sharp measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Most drastic is Italy, which has 12,000 cases and has shut down shops nationwide. The Czech Republic on Thursday barred entry of nationals of 15 countries, including the U.K. Also on Thursday, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said that all schools, colleges, and public facilities would shut down for at least two weeks in response to the pandemic. He said indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 should be canceled.
As some European countries were announcing travel bans and nationwide school closings, British officials were taking a different course. Johnson said that more people were likely to die in the U.K. and said it was “the worst public health crisis in a generation.” He said the U.K.’s response would be guided by the science and said that sporting events and schools will remain open for now because closing them could do “more harm than good.”
As sports leagues around Europe announced that games that would be played without spectators or outright suspended, a spokeswoman for the Premier League, England’s top soccer league, told Foreign Policy on Thursday morning the organization had no plans to hold matches behind closed doors or cancel fixtures. An official from a top Premier League club told Foreign Policy they would follow the government’s advice.
The dramatic differences in Europe’s response to the coronavirus were on display Wednesday night in the continent’s top athletic competition. At bars, screens showed the French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain host the German club Borussia Dortmund to an empty stadium. At the same time, the English club Liverpool hosted the Spanish team Atlético Madrid to a full stadium. Fans from Madrid marched around Liverpool despite the Spanish capital being a hot spot for the virus. Hours later, the Spanish La Liga that Atlético Madrid plays in was suspended for two weeks.
One of the few examples of altered social practices came when Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp appeared to scold fans trying to high-five players. “Put your hands away, you fucking idiots,” he appeared to say.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-12--Trump Should Self-Quarantine Like Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in self-isolation after his wife came down with flu-like symptoms .
Spain ’ s Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias is doing the same after his wife , Minister of Equality Irene Montero , tested positive for COVID-19 .
Nadine Dorries , the United Kingdom ’ s health minister , tested positive herself and is under self-quarantine at home .
There ’ s one notable exception to this trend : U.S. President Donald Trump , who downplayed the new coronavirus pandemic for weeks before giving a jumbled address to the nation Wednesday night .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite having had direct contact with people known to have the coronavirus .
It ’ s not surprising that politicians seem particularly vulnerable to infection through social contact , given their constant routine of meet-and-greet .
The coronavirus has already swept through Iran ’ s parliament and top leaders .
But Trudeau is arguably the highest-profile Western politician to go into isolation since the pandemic began .
The decision was made after his wife , Sophie Grégoire Trudeau , returned from a speaking engagement in the U.K. and began experiencing mild flu-like symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and is being tested for the COVID-19 virus , ” .
“ She is self-isolating at home awaiting test results , and her symptoms have since subsided.
” Trudeau followed suit quickly thereafter , canceling a planned meeting with provincial premiers .
“ The Prime Minister will spend the day in briefings , phone calls , and virtual meetings from home , including speaking with other world leaders and joining the special COVID-19 cabinet committee discussion , ” the statement continues .
It ’ s a stark contrast with Trump , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , even as he has implemented drastic flight bans to try to stem the flow of the virus into the United States .
Even though he has postponed future campaign rallies , the president met with Irish leader Leo Varadkar on Thursday .
“ Stay away from people , wash your hands , and do all of the things we ’ re supposed to do anyway , it will go very quickly , ” Trump promised .
Trump ’ s approach mirrors that of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro , who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday that the coronavirus “ is not all the mainstream media makes it out to be.
” It ’ s awkward , then , that a top Bolsonaro aide tested positive for the coronavirus .
Reports flew around in the Brazillian media Thursday afternoon , suggesting that Bolsonaro tested positive for the virus .
His son appeared to contradict those reports , tweeting that “ Bolsonaro has been tested for coronavirus and we are waiting for the results .
However , he is not exhibiting any symptoms of the disease.
” Photos show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dining with Trump and Bolsonaro at the U.S. president ’ s Mar-a-Lago resort .
One photo shows the now-ill aide , sporting a “ Make Brazil Great Again ” hat , posing next to Trump .
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence , the president ’ s point man on the pandemic , recommended Americans avoid close contact with each other—particularly , to stop shaking hands .
And yet , Pence flouted his own advice .
“ In our line of work , you shake hands when someone wants to shake your hand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do that , ” he said from the White House on Tuesday .
Trump changed his tune Thursday when meeting the Irish prime minister , telling pool reporters : “ We didn ’ t shake hands today.
” While having ministers and world leaders self-isolate may seem drastic , it may also be the most prudent course of action .
Sporting events have been called off , offices have instituted work-from-home orders , and travelers have been recommended to self-quarantine after returning from coronavirus hotspots .
Complicating matters is how closely this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is also prevalent this time of year .
Canada , in particular , has been aggressive on testing and surveilling the spread of the virus , testing more than 6,000 patients already .
According to various health authorities , there have been some 120 coronavirus cases in the country—the vast majority , however , contracted the virus abroad before returning to Canada .
Even though Canada has relatively few cases , and even few cases of community transmission—a telltale sign that the virus has not been adequately contained—self-isolation is becoming increasingly common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home after attending a mining conference where one attendee later tested positive for the coronavirus .
( Trudeau was present as well . )
Jagmeet Singh , the leader of the center-left New Democratic Party , is also in self-isolation .
The federal government also extended federal sick leave benefits for those will need to work from home .
Quebec has even asked all travelers returning from abroad to self-quarantine .
The conversation now turns to just how much politicians ought to do to limit their exposure to the public , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house has cancelled meetings for the next week after a number of lawmakers also contracted the virus .
The far-right Spanish lawmaker Javier Ortega Smith apologized after holding a thousands-strong rally , where he hugged and kissed his supporters .
He tested positive for the coronavirus two days later .
“ I said two weeks ago we should have closed parliament to visitors , ” Andrew Bridgen , a U.K. member of Parliament , told the Guardian .
Bridgen is also in self-isolation with cold symptoms after coming into contact with Dorries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like an airport—we have got people coming in from all over the world , ” he said .
There are already calls to end U.S. political campaigning—while still holding the elections .
Both Democratic Party presidential primary front-runners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have canceled their planned rallies for the foreseeable future .
Self-isolation and quarantine are the most reliable means to prevent widespread community transmission of viruses like COVID-19 .
Nowhere is that truer than in the halls of power , where world leaders are often glad-handing with supporters , aides , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredibly susceptible to contracting the virus and very well-placed to spread it—his germophobic tendencies might help lessen that risk , but they won ’ t eliminate it .
Trudeau , Iglesias , and Dorries are , given their ages , at relatively low risk for serious complications due to the coronavirus .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says those over 60 years of age are more at risk , while those over 80 are particularly vulnerable .
Trump , at 73 , can ’ t take the chance .
Maybe it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in self-isolation after his wife came down with flu-like symptoms. Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias is doing the same after his wife, Minister of Equality Irene Montero, tested positive for COVID-19. Nadine Dorries, the United Kingdom’s health minister, tested positive herself and is under self-quarantine at home.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in self-isolation after his wife came down with flu-like symptoms. Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias is doing the same after his wife, Minister of Equality Irene Montero, tested positive for COVID-19. Nadine Dorries, the United Kingdom’s health minister, tested positive herself and is under self-quarantine at home.
There’s one notable exception to this trend: U.S. President Donald Trump, who downplayed the new coronavirus pandemic for weeks before giving a jumbled address to the nation Wednesday night. Trump has announced no plans to self-isolate, despite having had direct contact with people known to have the coronavirus.
It’s not surprising that politicians seem particularly vulnerable to infection through social contact, given their constant routine of meet-and-greet. The coronavirus has already swept through Iran’s parliament and top leaders. But Trudeau is arguably the highest-profile Western politician to go into isolation since the pandemic began. The decision was made after his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, returned from a speaking engagement in the U.K. and began experiencing mild flu-like symptoms.
“She immediately sought medical advice, and is being tested for the COVID-19 virus,” reads a statement from the prime minister’s office. “She is self-isolating at home awaiting test results, and her symptoms have since subsided.”
[Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak: Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it’s affecting countries around the world.]
Trudeau followed suit quickly thereafter, canceling a planned meeting with provincial premiers.
“The Prime Minister will spend the day in briefings, phone calls, and virtual meetings from home, including speaking with other world leaders and joining the special COVID-19 cabinet committee discussion,” the statement continues.
It’s a stark contrast with Trump, who has consistently tried to assuage concerns over the pandemic, even as he has implemented drastic flight bans to try to stem the flow of the virus into the United States.
Even though he has postponed future campaign rallies, the president met with Irish leader Leo Varadkar on Thursday. “Stay away from people, wash your hands, and do all of the things we’re supposed to do anyway, it will go very quickly,” Trump promised.
Trump’s approach mirrors that of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who said during a press conference in Florida on Tuesday that the coronavirus “is not all the mainstream media makes it out to be.”
It’s awkward, then, that a top Bolsonaro aide tested positive for the coronavirus. Reports flew around in the Brazillian media Thursday afternoon, suggesting that Bolsonaro tested positive for the virus. His son appeared to contradict those reports, tweeting that “Bolsonaro has been tested for coronavirus and we are waiting for the results. However, he is not exhibiting any symptoms of the disease.”
Photos show the aide, a press secretary, dining with Trump and Bolsonaro at the U.S. president’s Mar-a-Lago resort. One photo shows the now-ill aide, sporting a “Make Brazil Great Again” hat, posing next to Trump.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, the president’s point man on the pandemic, recommended Americans avoid close contact with each other—particularly, to stop shaking hands.
And yet, Pence flouted his own advice. “In our line of work, you shake hands when someone wants to shake your hand. And I expect the president will continue to do that,” he said from the White House on Tuesday.
Trump changed his tune Thursday when meeting the Irish prime minister, telling pool reporters: “We didn’t shake hands today.”
While having ministers and world leaders self-isolate may seem drastic, it may also be the most prudent course of action. Sporting events have been called off, offices have instituted work-from-home orders, and travelers have been recommended to self-quarantine after returning from coronavirus hotspots. Complicating matters is how closely this novel coronavirus mirrors the common cold, which is also prevalent this time of year.
Canada, in particular, has been aggressive on testing and surveilling the spread of the virus, testing more than 6,000 patients already. According to various health authorities, there have been some 120 coronavirus cases in the country—the vast majority, however, contracted the virus abroad before returning to Canada.
Even though Canada has relatively few cases, and even few cases of community transmission—a telltale sign that the virus has not been adequately contained—self-isolation is becoming increasingly common.
Provincial and federal ministers are working from home after attending a mining conference where one attendee later tested positive for the coronavirus. (Trudeau was present as well.) Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the center-left New Democratic Party, is also in self-isolation. The federal government also extended federal sick leave benefits for those will need to work from home. Quebec has even asked all travelers returning from abroad to self-quarantine.
The conversation now turns to just how much politicians ought to do to limit their exposure to the public, and each other. Spain’s lower house has cancelled meetings for the next week after a number of lawmakers also contracted the virus.
The far-right Spanish lawmaker Javier Ortega Smith apologized after holding a thousands-strong rally, where he hugged and kissed his supporters. He tested positive for the coronavirus two days later.
“I said two weeks ago we should have closed parliament to visitors,” Andrew Bridgen, a U.K. member of Parliament, told the Guardian. Bridgen is also in self-isolation with cold symptoms after coming into contact with Dorries, the health minister. “Parliament is like an airport—we have got people coming in from all over the world,” he said.
There are already calls to end U.S. political campaigning—while still holding the elections. Both Democratic Party presidential primary front-runners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have canceled their planned rallies for the foreseeable future.
Self-isolation and quarantine are the most reliable means to prevent widespread community transmission of viruses like COVID-19. Nowhere is that truer than in the halls of power, where world leaders are often glad-handing with supporters, aides, and other politicians. Trump is both incredibly susceptible to contracting the virus and very well-placed to spread it—his germophobic tendencies might help lessen that risk, but they won’t eliminate it.
Trudeau, Iglesias, and Dorries are, given their ages, at relatively low risk for serious complications due to the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says those over 60 years of age are more at risk, while those over 80 are particularly vulnerable. Trump, at 73, can’t take the chance. Maybe it’s time he locked himself away.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-12--Japan and Korea Won’t Let A Pandemic Stop Them Fighting

Japan and Korea Won ’ t Let A Pandemic Stop Them Fighting Japan and South Korea have shown that when times gets hard , they can still prioritize the most important thing : blaming each other .
While both countries have been hit hard by the new coronavirus , with South Korea suffering a serious outbreak and Japan ’ s economy faltering , instead of working together they have launched mutual travel restrictions that the World Health Organization says are unnecessary and unproductive and that will only worsen the growing economic impact .
For Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to demonstrate leadership after initially appearing to be leaving the problem to his subordinates .
He had managed to cause more problems when he waded directly into the issue by suddenly announcing last month that the government would ask all schools to close on just four days ’ notice .
This left parents , including health care workers badly needed on the front line , scrambling to deal with having their children stuck at home .
Officials in the education ministry privately said that Abe had not consulted them about the idea , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions a few days later , saying that he understood the steps had “ been causing great trouble to the Japanese people.
” In his latest policy move , Abe announced last week that Japan is nullifying tourist visas from China and South Korea , and anyone coming in will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days .
That comes on top of outright bans from the worst-affected areas in the two countries plus Iran and parts of Italy .
“ We are in a crucial period .
It ’ s important not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border controls , ” Abe said in his announcement .
“ We will take aggressive action.
” The statement seemed conveniently timed to come just after Chinese President Xi Jinping delayed a much-anticipated visit to Japan that had been set for April , thereby avoiding the problematic optics of welcoming a nation ’ s leaders while his compatriots were in lockdown .
The Chinese took the new restrictions in stride , although they took the opportunity to impose their own limits on Japanese coming into China .
[ Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn how it ’ s affecting countries around the world . ]
South Korea , with over 7,700 cases—until the Italian outbreak the second-hardest-hit country in the world—was not as sanguine , however .
Officials dismissed the restrictions as improper , said that such a travel ban was not based on proper science , and suggested the action was “ intended as something other than for quarantine purposes.
” South Korea has dealt with the outbreak swiftly , instituted testing on a vast scale , and been praised for its response internationally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that the country had taken all the proper steps in trying to deal with the virus and said that it is “ rather the [ South Korean ] government which is watching Japan ’ s response to COVID-19 with concern.
” After denouncing the measure as a bad idea , it said it would impose its own ban on Japanese visitors “ based on the principle of reciprocity.
” The World Health Organization felt it needed to weigh in , with Mike Ryan , the WHO official leading the response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea are both doing a fine job in the face of this epidemic , ” adding that “ I think we should focus on that and not necessarily on political spats over travel restrictions.
” This is just the latest round in a more than yearlong dispute between Tokyo and Seoul that seems to be rivaling Japan ’ s cold war with North Korea .
Nobody can agree who started it .
Since last July , South Koreans have largely boycotted Japanese stores and consumer products and have all but stopped visiting Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the single largest group of foreign tourists , the impact has been significant .
The boycott came after Japan placed export restrictions on chemicals needed in manufacturing semiconductors , a vital industry for South Korea .
Japan says it took that action for export control purposes but also linked the action to South Korean court rulings that upheld claims by Koreans who were forced to work for Japanese companies during World II .
Japan says all such claims were settled in the peace treaty between the two countries in 1965 .
South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologize properly for its wartime behavior , and some have suggested the treaty should be renegotiated .
But criticism of the Japanese coronavirus response is not just coming from South Korea .
Opposition parties have grilled government ministers on issues such as testing and the handling of a quarantine on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked in Yokohama , Japan .
The vessel became one of the biggest clusters of infection anywhere with 696 cases , including seven deaths .
In some ways , Japan has avoided too harsh an international spotlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are worsening elsewhere .
With sharp spikes in the number of cases in Italy and Iran , Japan now has the 10th-largest number of cases ( excluding the Diamond Princess ) .
Japanese officials are hopeful that a recent decline in the number of new cases daily will also represent a trend , although the numbers remain choppy with 59 new cases on Tuesday but only two reported on Wednesday .
Those figures are themselves the subject of some controversy .
Some experts have noted that the country is testing relatively few people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a person must call a special phone line and go through their symptoms before being authorized to go to a publicly nondisclosed testing center .
Figures from Japan ’ s health ministry that it can test 3,800 people daily with a total of around 10,000 tests so far is a far cry from the 222,000 tested in South Korea .
This has led to a suspicion among critics that the government is discouraging tests that might spike the number of people identified as having the virus and further worsen the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chair of the Medical Governance Research Institute , a private-sector group in Tokyo , the official numbers are likely “ the tip of the iceberg.
” One point that no one disputes is the impact all of this is having on Japan ’ s economy .
Even before the virus hit the headlines , Japan ’ s economy was on a surprisingly steep slide after an increase in the national consumption tax and in response to softening demand from China amid its trade war with the United States .
Revised figures released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last three months of the year was even worse than initially expected with the GDP falling at a 7.1 percent annual rate , the worst since 2014 .
Since then , voluntary shutdowns and various restrictions have had a severe impact .
Goldman Sachs has sharply downgraded its forecast and now predicts that the economy will contract another 2.2 percent , at an annualized rate .
Most of the data since the outbreak has yet to be calculated , but Japan ’ s immigration service testified in parliament last week that the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1 million in February , down from 2.37 million a year before .
The number of Chinese entrants plunged roughly 90 percent to under 60,000 .
Looking at the worsening prospects , the government on Tuesday approved a $ 10 billion spending package to help businesses hit by the crisis , with one-half to go to zero-interest loans for small and medium businesses .
This is just the latest round in a more than yearlong dispute between Tokyo and Seoul that seems to be rivaling Japan ’ s cold war with North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s recommendation that large-scale crowd events be canceled for another 10 days , with the baseball and soccer federations already canceling events .
He is also seeking fresh powers to declare a state of emergency so officials can impose mandatory shutdowns of events and order quarantines of people .
Also at risk are the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games , an event Japan had hoped would showcase the country in much the same way that the 1964 Games had boosted postwar Japan ’ s image .
At this point , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the plans remain in place , but a number of Japanese and foreign officials have talked about alternatives , such as a delay until the fall or having events without spectators .
With face masks sold out almost everywhere in the country , except at sharply inflated prices on some online sites , the government also made it a crime to resell masks at a profit , with a fine of up to $ 10,000 .
The legislation comes just in time after it was revealed that a local lawmaker had made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website .
As is the habit of Japanese politicians and business leaders , he apologized .

Japan and South Korea have shown that when times gets hard, they can still prioritize the most important thing: blaming each other. While both countries have been hit hard by the new coronavirus, with South Korea suffering a serious outbreak and Japan’s economy faltering, instead of working together they have launched mutual travel restrictions that the World Health Organization says are unnecessary and unproductive and that will only worsen the growing economic impact.
Japan and South Korea have shown that when times gets hard, they can still prioritize the most important thing: blaming each other. While both countries have been hit hard by the new coronavirus, with South Korea suffering a serious outbreak and Japan’s economy faltering, instead of working together they have launched mutual travel restrictions that the World Health Organization says are unnecessary and unproductive and that will only worsen the growing economic impact.
For Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the action is part of an effort to demonstrate leadership after initially appearing to be leaving the problem to his subordinates. He had managed to cause more problems when he waded directly into the issue by suddenly announcing last month that the government would ask all schools to close on just four days’ notice. This left parents, including health care workers badly needed on the front line, scrambling to deal with having their children stuck at home. Officials in the education ministry privately said that Abe had not consulted them about the idea, something he tacitly acknowledged in defending his actions a few days later, saying that he understood the steps had “been causing great trouble to the Japanese people.”
In his latest policy move, Abe announced last week that Japan is nullifying tourist visas from China and South Korea, and anyone coming in will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. That comes on top of outright bans from the worst-affected areas in the two countries plus Iran and parts of Italy. “We are in a crucial period. It’s important not to hesitate to take decisive action on border controls,” Abe said in his announcement. “We will take aggressive action.”
The statement seemed conveniently timed to come just after Chinese President Xi Jinping delayed a much-anticipated visit to Japan that had been set for April, thereby avoiding the problematic optics of welcoming a nation’s leaders while his compatriots were in lockdown. The Chinese took the new restrictions in stride, although they took the opportunity to impose their own limits on Japanese coming into China.
[Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak: Get daily updates on the pandemic and learn how it’s affecting countries around the world.]
South Korea, with over 7,700 cases—until the Italian outbreak the second-hardest-hit country in the world—was not as sanguine, however. Officials dismissed the restrictions as improper, said that such a travel ban was not based on proper science, and suggested the action was “intended as something other than for quarantine purposes.” South Korea has dealt with the outbreak swiftly, instituted testing on a vast scale, and been praised for its response internationally. In a statement, the foreign ministry said that the country had taken all the proper steps in trying to deal with the virus and said that it is “rather the [South Korean] government which is watching Japan’s response to COVID-19 with concern.” After denouncing the measure as a bad idea, it said it would impose its own ban on Japanese visitors “based on the principle of reciprocity.”
The World Health Organization felt it needed to weigh in, with Mike Ryan, the WHO official leading the response to the virus, saying that “Japan and Korea are both doing a fine job in the face of this epidemic,” adding that “I think we should focus on that and not necessarily on political spats over travel restrictions.”
This is just the latest round in a more than yearlong dispute between Tokyo and Seoul that seems to be rivaling Japan’s cold war with North Korea. Nobody can agree who started it. Since last July, South Koreans have largely boycotted Japanese stores and consumer products and have all but stopped visiting Japan. Given that South Koreans were one of the single largest group of foreign tourists, the impact has been significant. The boycott came after Japan placed export restrictions on chemicals needed in manufacturing semiconductors, a vital industry for South Korea. Japan says it took that action for export control purposes but also linked the action to South Korean court rulings that upheld claims by Koreans who were forced to work for Japanese companies during World II. Japan says all such claims were settled in the peace treaty between the two countries in 1965. South Korea counters that Japan has yet to apologize properly for its wartime behavior, and some have suggested the treaty should be renegotiated.
But criticism of the Japanese coronavirus response is not just coming from South Korea. Opposition parties have grilled government ministers on issues such as testing and the handling of a quarantine on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked in Yokohama, Japan. The vessel became one of the biggest clusters of infection anywhere with 696 cases, including seven deaths.
In some ways, Japan has avoided too harsh an international spotlight by the sheer fact that the problems are worsening elsewhere. With sharp spikes in the number of cases in Italy and Iran, Japan now has the 10th-largest number of cases (excluding the Diamond Princess). Japanese officials are hopeful that a recent decline in the number of new cases daily will also represent a trend, although the numbers remain choppy with 59 new cases on Tuesday but only two reported on Wednesday.
Those figures are themselves the subject of some controversy. Some experts have noted that the country is testing relatively few people. In order to get tested, a person must call a special phone line and go through their symptoms before being authorized to go to a publicly nondisclosed testing center. Figures from Japan’s health ministry that it can test 3,800 people daily with a total of around 10,000 tests so far is a far cry from the 222,000 tested in South Korea. This has led to a suspicion among critics that the government is discouraging tests that might spike the number of people identified as having the virus and further worsen the government’s reputation. According to Masahiro Kami, the chair of the Medical Governance Research Institute, a private-sector group in Tokyo, the official numbers are likely “the tip of the iceberg.”
One point that no one disputes is the impact all of this is having on Japan’s economy. Even before the virus hit the headlines, Japan’s economy was on a surprisingly steep slide after an increase in the national consumption tax and in response to softening demand from China amid its trade war with the United States. Revised figures released Monday showed that a downturn in the last three months of the year was even worse than initially expected with the GDP falling at a 7.1 percent annual rate, the worst since 2014. Since then, voluntary shutdowns and various restrictions have had a severe impact. Goldman Sachs has sharply downgraded its forecast and now predicts that the economy will contract another 2.2 percent, at an annualized rate.
Most of the data since the outbreak has yet to be calculated, but Japan’s immigration service testified in parliament last week that the number of inbound international tourists fell to fewer than 1 million in February, down from 2.37 million a year before. The number of Chinese entrants plunged roughly 90 percent to under 60,000. Looking at the worsening prospects, the government on Tuesday approved a $10 billion spending package to help businesses hit by the crisis, with one-half to go to zero-interest loans for small and medium businesses.
This is just the latest round in a more than yearlong dispute between Tokyo and Seoul that seems to be rivaling Japan’s cold war with North Korea.
Abe has also extended the government’s recommendation that large-scale crowd events be canceled for another 10 days, with the baseball and soccer federations already canceling events. He is also seeking fresh powers to declare a state of emergency so officials can impose mandatory shutdowns of events and order quarantines of people. Also at risk are the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, an event Japan had hoped would showcase the country in much the same way that the 1964 Games had boosted postwar Japan’s image. At this point, organizers are unwilling to go beyond saying that the plans remain in place, but a number of Japanese and foreign officials have talked about alternatives, such as a delay until the fall or having events without spectators.
With face masks sold out almost everywhere in the country, except at sharply inflated prices on some online sites, the government also made it a crime to resell masks at a profit, with a fine of up to $10,000. The legislation comes just in time after it was revealed that a local lawmaker had made nearly $90,000 selling masks on his website. As is the habit of Japanese politicians and business leaders, he apologized.


foreignpolicy--2020-03-12--Venezuela’s Health Care Crisis Now Poses a Global Threat

The coronavirus has quickly evolved from an epidemic in China ’ s Hubei province to a global pandemic .
The question now isn ’ t which countries will get it , but how they will respond—and whether human rights will be protected .
The World Bank and the United Nations have committed emergency funds to support the response , prioritizing countries with weak health systems .
But that critical funding needs to be paired with political will , a sense of urgency , and transparency in the countries receiving aid .
In Venezuela , that vital political will is hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health system is collapsing .
Hospitals have closed or are operating at a fraction of their capacity , many without regular access to electricity or water .
The public health infrastructure is so weak that in 2019 , Venezuela had the world ’ s steepest rise in malaria cases .
Vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria have already returned long before the epidemic hit .
The first COVID-19 case in South America was reported in Brazil on Feb. 26 .
Cases have since been confirmed in most countries in the region , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela ’ s borders and airports remain open , this is surprising .
It is difficult to know if there aren ’ t any cases or if Venezuelan health authorities are unable to cope with a possible outbreak .
There were currently only 300 diagnostic tests available for a population of around 300 million , a local medical source said this week .
Around 70 percent of Venezuela ’ s hospitals do not have tests .
Government actions that have contributed to Venezuela ’ s collapsing health care system not only violate Venezuelans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now a threat to global health .
In the context of collapsing infrastructure , mass migration , and a government in denial about the humanitarian emergency , a coronavirus outbreak in Venezuela would be a disaster .
It is imperative for the global community to prepare for this .
Doing so requires governments , including the United States , to channel sufficient humanitarian aid through the United Nations .
What will happen when the coronavirus emerges in Venezuela ?
There are many reasons to worry , beginning with a lack of government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela had a robust epidemiologic surveillance infrastructure that published regular morbidity and mortality reports .
Then came two years of silence .
The health minister , Antonieta Corporale , finally spoke up in 2016 , publishing data showing that infant mortality had increased by 30 percent and maternal mortality by 65 percent .
She was fired .
Since then , the government has not released any epidemiological reports .
It ’ s not clear whether the data is being collected and suppressed or not collected at all .
A critical first step in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic is identifying cases and sharing information with health officials and the public .
The precedent set by the government of President Nicolás Maduro , which has been aggressively hostile toward the press and distrusts its own people , does not inspire confidence .
Venezuela ’ s health care infrastructure is so weak that the most basic recommendation—handwashing—is difficult even for health care providers .
Venezuela ’ s health care infrastructure is so weak that the most basic recommendation—handwashing—is difficult even for health care providers , who work under difficult conditions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the past few months say that soap and disinfectants are virtually nonexistent in their clinics and hospitals .
As inflation has risen and salaries have been devalued , it has become impossible for them to bring in their own supplies .
Public hospitals in Caracas , the capital , are also suffering regular water shortages .
In remote hospitals , the shortages have lasted weeks to months .
Patients and personnel are required to bring their own water for drinking and sometimes for flushing toilets .
Imagine what will happen to health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela .
Just one case in a hospital could lead to transmission within the system , putting already sick patients at risk .
Around 3.4 percent of confirmed coronavirus patients have died , according to the World Health Organization .
The death rate would likely be higher in Venezuela , where there is no capacity for complex care due to a lack of basic X-rays , laboratory tests , intensive care beds , and respirators .
Under such circumstances , it may be best for sick people to avoid hospitals altogether .
Transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , could also happen quickly in the absence of basic public health protections .
Infectious diseases thrive under the conditions of poverty , crowded living arrangements , and malnutrition that many Venezuelans face .
Basic measures such as handwashing and social distancing will be difficult to implement in a country where water shortages are routine , supplies are expensive , and people struggle to find food .
A coronavirus outbreak in Venezuela would threaten the rest of Latin America .
The crisis in Venezuela has led to the largest migration in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 4.9 million Venezuelans have left the country , many taking with them diseases that had been eradicated .
In 2016 , the Pan American Health Organization declared the Americas the first region to eliminate measles .
Yet vaccine shortages and the breakdown of health care in Venezuela led to a measles outbreak in 2018 that spread to 14 countries .
The health systems of neighboring countries are already strained trying to meet the health needs of Venezuelan exiles .
A coronavirus outbreak in Venezuela would only make things worse .
The global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long time , U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres was shamefully silent about Venezuela ’ s humanitarian emergency .
In April 2019 , he recognized for the first time that 7 million Venezuelans needed humanitarian assistance .
So far , aid has reached only 2.4 million people , according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA ) —partly due to insufficient funding , but also because it is logistically difficult to reach Venezuela ’ s interior .
In 2019 , the agency ’ s Humanitarian Response Plan for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
From July through December last year , the plan targeted 3,719 health and education institutions but reached only 265 , according to the OCHA ’ s latest situation report .
The 2020 plan has yet to be funded .
Countries hosting Venezuelan exiles , especially Colombia and Brazil , need humanitarian support from other countries to address the health needs of Venezuelans while protecting their citizens .
This aid is indispensable to counter rising xenophobia in the region .
A key actor to ensure that the U.N. response to Venezuela ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States .
If the humanitarian aid that the U.S. government provides to Venezuela does not go through the United Nations , the perception will be that the Trump administration may be using it as a political tool to overthrow Maduro—particularly in light of the administration ’ s sanctions on Venezuela ’ s oil sector .
The sanctions exclude transactions aimed at aid , but there is a risk that overcompliance by financial institutions , which fear the consequences of working with sanctioned entities , is undermining the ability for aid to reach the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that aid would be used by the Maduro regime to cling to power , the priority should be to save lives .
But for aid to effectively reach people , the Maduro government must stop posturing and facilitate nationwide access for U.N.-led humanitarian response teams .
Venezuelan authorities should release public health data to inform preparations for a coronavirus response and strengthen laboratory capacity so that COVID-19 can be diagnosed early .
Protection for the elderly , who will be hit the hardest , and for health workers should be prioritized .
None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on the Maduro government , including targeted sanctions such as asset freezes and the cancellation of visas for top Venezuelan officials .
There should also be a push for international accountability for crimes including torture , given the absolute lack of judicial independence in the country .
International pressure has proven an effective tool to push the Maduro government to act in the past , including accepting more international aid , and it could now contribute to pushing the regime to address the coronavirus outbreak more seriously .
The whole world is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Venezuela will require money , diplomacy , and a political will that has not yet materialized .
Neglecting Venezuela leaves us all in greater danger .

Kathleen Page and Tamara Taraciuk Broner

The coronavirus has quickly evolved from an epidemic in China’s Hubei province to a global pandemic. The question now isn’t which countries will get it, but how they will respond—and whether human rights will be protected. The World Bank and the United Nations have committed emergency funds to support the response, prioritizing countries with weak health systems. But that critical funding needs to be paired with political will, a sense of urgency, and transparency in the countries receiving aid.
The coronavirus has quickly evolved from an epidemic in China’s Hubei province to a global pandemic. The question now isn’t which countries will get it, but how they will respond—and whether human rights will be protected. The World Bank and the United Nations have committed emergency funds to support the response, prioritizing countries with weak health systems. But that critical funding needs to be paired with political will, a sense of urgency, and transparency in the countries receiving aid.
In Venezuela, that vital political will is hard to imagine. The country’s health system is collapsing. Hospitals have closed or are operating at a fraction of their capacity, many without regular access to electricity or water. The public health infrastructure is so weak that in 2019, Venezuela had the world’s steepest rise in malaria cases. Vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria have already returned long before the epidemic hit.
The first COVID-19 case in South America was reported in Brazil on Feb. 26. Cases have since been confirmed in most countries in the region, but not in Venezuela. Given that Venezuela’s borders and airports remain open, this is surprising. It is difficult to know if there aren’t any cases or if Venezuelan health authorities are unable to cope with a possible outbreak. There were currently only 300 diagnostic tests available for a population of around 30 million, a local medical source said this week. Around 70 percent of Venezuela’s hospitals do not have tests.
Government actions that have contributed to Venezuela’s collapsing health care system not only violate Venezuelans’ right to health, but they are now a threat to global health. In the context of collapsing infrastructure, mass migration, and a government in denial about the humanitarian emergency, a coronavirus outbreak in Venezuela would be a disaster. It is imperative for the global community to prepare for this. Doing so requires governments, including the United States, to channel sufficient humanitarian aid through the United Nations.
What will happen when the coronavirus emerges in Venezuela? There are many reasons to worry, beginning with a lack of government transparency on health. Until 2014, Venezuela had a robust epidemiologic surveillance infrastructure that published regular morbidity and mortality reports. Then came two years of silence. The health minister, Antonieta Corporale, finally spoke up in 2016, publishing data showing that infant mortality had increased by 30 percent and maternal mortality by 65 percent. She was fired.
Since then, the government has not released any epidemiological reports. It’s not clear whether the data is being collected and suppressed or not collected at all. A critical first step in planning an adequate response to the coronavirus epidemic is identifying cases and sharing information with health officials and the public. The precedent set by the government of President Nicolás Maduro, which has been aggressively hostile toward the press and distrusts its own people, does not inspire confidence.
Venezuela’s health care infrastructure is so weak that the most basic recommendation—handwashing—is difficult even for health care providers.
Venezuela’s health care infrastructure is so weak that the most basic recommendation—handwashing—is difficult even for health care providers, who work under difficult conditions. The Venezuelan doctors and nurses we have interviewed over the past few months say that soap and disinfectants are virtually nonexistent in their clinics and hospitals. As inflation has risen and salaries have been devalued, it has become impossible for them to bring in their own supplies. Public hospitals in Caracas, the capital, are also suffering regular water shortages. In remote hospitals, the shortages have lasted weeks to months. Patients and personnel are required to bring their own water for drinking and sometimes for flushing toilets.
Imagine what will happen to health workers and patients when COVID-19 emerges in Venezuela. Just one case in a hospital could lead to transmission within the system, putting already sick patients at risk. Around 3.4 percent of confirmed coronavirus patients have died, according to the World Health Organization. The death rate would likely be higher in Venezuela, where there is no capacity for complex care due to a lack of basic X-rays, laboratory tests, intensive care beds, and respirators.
Under such circumstances, it may be best for sick people to avoid hospitals altogether. Transmission in the community or in prisons, for example, could also happen quickly in the absence of basic public health protections. Infectious diseases thrive under the conditions of poverty, crowded living arrangements, and malnutrition that many Venezuelans face. Basic measures such as handwashing and social distancing will be difficult to implement in a country where water shortages are routine, supplies are expensive, and people struggle to find food.
A coronavirus outbreak in Venezuela would threaten the rest of Latin America. The crisis in Venezuela has led to the largest migration in the region in recent decades: More than 4.9 million Venezuelans have left the country, many taking with them diseases that had been eradicated. In 2016, the Pan American Health Organization declared the Americas the first region to eliminate measles. Yet vaccine shortages and the breakdown of health care in Venezuela led to a measles outbreak in 2018 that spread to 14 countries. The health systems of neighboring countries are already strained trying to meet the health needs of Venezuelan exiles. A coronavirus outbreak in Venezuela would only make things worse.
The global community needs to step in. For a long time, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres was shamefully silent about Venezuela’s humanitarian emergency. In April 2019, he recognized for the first time that 7 million Venezuelans needed humanitarian assistance. So far, aid has reached only 2.4 million people, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)—partly due to insufficient funding, but also because it is logistically difficult to reach Venezuela’s interior.
In 2019, the agency’s Humanitarian Response Plan for Venezuela received around one-third of requested funds. From July through December last year, the plan targeted 3,719 health and education institutions but reached only 265, according to the OCHA’s latest situation report. The 2020 plan has yet to be funded. Countries hosting Venezuelan exiles, especially Colombia and Brazil, need humanitarian support from other countries to address the health needs of Venezuelans while protecting their citizens. This aid is indispensable to counter rising xenophobia in the region.
A key actor to ensure that the U.N. response to Venezuela’s crisis is fully funded is the United States. If the humanitarian aid that the U.S. government provides to Venezuela does not go through the United Nations, the perception will be that the Trump administration may be using it as a political tool to overthrow Maduro—particularly in light of the administration’s sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector. The sanctions exclude transactions aimed at aid, but there is a risk that overcompliance by financial institutions, which fear the consequences of working with sanctioned entities, is undermining the ability for aid to reach the Venezuelan people.
Despite the legitimate concern that aid would be used by the Maduro regime to cling to power, the priority should be to save lives. But for aid to effectively reach people, the Maduro government must stop posturing and facilitate nationwide access for U.N.-led humanitarian response teams. Venezuelan authorities should release public health data to inform preparations for a coronavirus response and strengthen laboratory capacity so that COVID-19 can be diagnosed early. Protection for the elderly, who will be hit the hardest, and for health workers should be prioritized.
None of this will happen without sustained international pressure on the Maduro government, including targeted sanctions such as asset freezes and the cancellation of visas for top Venezuelan officials. There should also be a push for international accountability for crimes including torture, given the absolute lack of judicial independence in the country. International pressure has proven an effective tool to push the Maduro government to act in the past, including accepting more international aid, and it could now contribute to pushing the regime to address the coronavirus outbreak more seriously.
The whole world is on coronavirus alert. Preparing the response for Venezuela will require money, diplomacy, and a political will that has not yet materialized. Neglecting Venezuela leaves us all in greater danger.