covid-19 Archives - Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Lessons from India’s Handling of the Second Wave of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Surge

By APCSS Editor|2021-08-06T14:30:49-10:00August 6th, 2021|

By Srini Sitaraman, Professor, DKI APCSS Sebastian Kevany, Associate Professor, DKI APCSS[*] Abstract The second wave of the coronavirus caused by the mutant Delta variant led to the deaths of 209,182 people from April 15 to June 17, 2021 in India (Data source: Our World in Data). But, some estimates peg the number of COVID-19-related deaths significantly higher (see footnote no. 1). This article assesses India’s handling of the second wave of the coronavirus, and seeks to draw some lessons from India’s experience. Several causes emerged simultaneously and unfortunately, colluded to surprise and overwhelm public health officials and the Indian [...]

Assessing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: Practitioner Insights

By APCSS Editor|2020-08-06T11:14:26-10:00August 6th, 2020|

This paper identifies the obstacles faced by terrorists as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes results from a survey sent out to Comprehensive Security Responses to Terrorism (CSRT) alumni in July 2020. Excerpt The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the world, with far-reaching social, political and economic consequences. Terrorists and security services alike have been forced to adapt. However, we still have relatively limited understanding of the changes that have occurred and what they mean for counter-terrorism (CT). This report presents the findings of an exploratory survey, completed by 100 security practitioners, in order to [...]

What States Say They Can Do and COVID-19 Status at Six Months

By APCSS Editor|2020-07-31T15:53:18-10:00July 31st, 2020|

This paper reports finding a significant positive correlation globally between countries’ SPAR scores that indicate their capacities to deal effectively with public health risks and events and their COVID-related morbidity and mortality. Significance disappears in most cases when examined regionally. The authors offer minimal speculation as to the reasons for the unexpected finding, but sensibly suggest both additional factors, not currently assessed by SPAR, and further research. Abstract The International Health Regulations (IHR) is a critical legal tool that ensures and improves the capacity of all signatories, or States Parties, to prevent detect, assess, notify, and respond to public health [...]

Security Implications of Mass Returning Migrant workers due to COVID-19 crisis

By APCSS Editor|2020-07-29T13:42:32-10:00July 29th, 2020|

This paper details the challenges migrant workers face and the resulting security issues brought on by COVID-19. Abstract: The issue of mass returning migrant workers has broad implications for human, national and regional security domains that go well beyond increasing unemployment. This paper reports on the complex web of security challenges surrounding migrant labor, as identified by security practitioners from the region. Regional and international cooperation are required to effectively manage the system to lessen the shock created by the COVID-19 crisis and for the longer-term challenges. Short, medium and long-term best practices and recommendations are offered to address the [...]

Why We Need a Regional Approach for Crisis Management with North Korea

By APCSS Editor|2020-07-15T12:42:53-10:00July 15th, 2020|

This paper emphasizes the need for regional cooperation and the challenges involved in addressing crisis management in North Korea. Excerpt: While North Korea has an image of a “rogue state” that threatens neighboring countries with missiles and nuclear arsenals, we must not forget that North Korean people are experiencing starvation, malnutrition, poor health system, swine flu, flooding, drought, and land-slides, all of which will only be exacerbated in the wake of the global COVID-19 crisis. North Korea’s internal problems are expected to continue to grow in the foreseeable future and disasters experienced during the summer of 2020 will exacerbate current [...]

The Intersection of Global Health, Military Medical intelligence, and National Security in the Management of Transboundary Hazards and Outbreaks

By APCSS Editor|2020-07-07T08:43:11-10:00July 1st, 2020|

This paper identifies the many forms of evolving surveillance techniques that could be used for prevention and early warning of global pandemic outbreaks, and the resistance to such monitoring. Excerpt: The COVID-19 pandemic-induced, shocking collapse of national and international trade, air travel, and tourism have rocked the world, and brought into stark relief the need for better health and disease surveillance. We have witnessed the global economy brought to its knees by the rapid spread of infection, resulting in widespread illness and many deaths. The rise in nationalism and isolationism, political use of the blame game, along with locked-down peoples [...]

Policy Guidance for Pakistan’s Oscillation Response to COVID-19

By APCSS Editor|2020-06-29T14:45:58-10:00June 25th, 2020|

In this paper, Asma Khawaja and Dr. Deon Canyon detail how shifting policy guidance affected Pakistan’s response to COVID-19, including the women’s role in a patriarchal society. Excerpt: Although the government of Pakistan took immediate measures to cope with the pandemic, such as the release of funds, establishment of quarantine centers, hiring of medical staff, and acquisition of testing kits and medicines, they faced major challenges every step of the way. A lack of facilities, equipment and supplies in hospitals, poor health system infrastructure, corruption of officials, and inconsistent implementation of government policies for managing people at borders and airports [...]

A Health Security Pandemic Checklist for Developing Nations and Donors

By APCSS Editor|2020-06-16T12:24:12-10:00June 12th, 2020|

In this paper, the authors provide a checklist for some of the measures that were proven effective during the COVID-19 pandemic and how developing countries may apply those measures to local conditions. Excerpt: The COVID-19 pandemic presents as a global, complex, public health emergency that varies in impact due to geography, variations in virulence over time and space, response preparation times, available resources, culture, religion, and a host of other possible confounders. Response systems that have shown encouraging quantitative results in one nation may thus be ineffective, or even counterproductive in other places. Developed nations have responded in a variety [...]

Urgent Policies Required to Grant Public Access to Protected Health Information during Emergency Disease Outbreaks and Pandemics

By APCSS Editor|2020-06-10T13:45:09-10:00June 10th, 2020|

This OpEd discuss the pros and cons of using tracking apps to stay ahead of disease outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Excerpt: While some believe that contact tracing apps produce benefits as soon as users increase above 10 percent of a population, there remain PHI-related shortcomings in these approaches because such apps do not actually measure the circumstances that are known to be important in COVID-19 transmission. This lack of accuracy in granular data makes it difficult for both disease managers and individuals to benefit. Apps with inappropriately short infection-interaction algorithms will show too many people as possibly infected (as [...]

Update from Sri Lanka

By APCSS Editor|2020-06-09T15:40:59-10:00June 9th, 2020|

By Admiral Jayanath Colombage With a total population of 22 million and a land area of 65000 square km, the island of Sri Lanka was monitoring the developing situation regarding the spread of Coronavirus, or Covid -19. The President immediately established a National Action Committee to implement health measures to prevent the spread of deadly Coronavirus in Sri Lanka. This was one of the first in our region and done on January 26, 2020 when the news of the virus spreading in Wuhan in China came to light. These preemptive measures were established well ahead of our region being impacted by the Coronavirus. The Action Committee consisted of the Minister of Health as the chair, secretaries of health, defence [...]

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