Combating COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific: Measures, Lessons and the Way Forward
Governments in the Asia-Pacific region are taking administrative and policy actions to cope with COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse impacts. Most countries and territories have adopted travel restrictions and social distancing policies to slow the spread of the disease. While many countries have rolled out fiscal and monetary stimulus packages, their scale and policy focus differ depending on their national circumstances, implementation capacities and how severely they have been affected by COVID-19 disease. In going forward, the region needs to invest in health and social protection systems and embed long-term sustainability into stimulus packages and recovery policies in order to strengthen resilience to future shocks. Policy coordination across countries is critical to ensure that no one is left behind.
