The rapid spread of COVID-19 has prompted containment measures across continents to respond to this urgent crisis. National health care systems, and city/local health care resources have been stretched to the limits. Hospitals and clinics have had to protect their workers on the front-line. Government policies have restricted movement and to varying levels of degree enforced or advised social distancing measures. These stories highlight how communities are containing the virus, stopping or reducing its spread, and how these responses are effectively reworking distribution systems and re-strategizing emergency preparedness.
To explore Containment stories, click on our collections or the selection of tags below.
https://apnews.com/bcbbea9a87e5fb2c75611f4da65d4a06
Ignatius Ssuuna
Associated Press
13 August 2020
Text / Under 800 Words
Researchers in Rwanda are using a mathematical approach as part of pooled testing to determine the number of cases of coronavirus in the country and slow the circulation rate. The algorithm they've developed "makes that process more efficient" which has been crucial because of the country's limited resources. There are limitations to where and how this approach would work, but other regions are taking notice of the practice as coronavirus continues to spread across the world.
https://www.malheurenterprise.com/posts/7560/solutions-as-malheur-county-struggles-with-pandemic-other-rural-counties-provide-clues-to-control
Pat Caldwell
Malheur Enterprise
13 August 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Several rural counties in Oregon and Idaho have managed to slow the spread of the coronavirus through early intervention strategies and community compliance. Although the low population and rural nature of the regions also played a role in the success of the counties, the areas still adopted tactics such as mask-wearing and social media campaigns and implemented collaborative efforts between elected and emergency officials. Because of these efforts, several of the counties have been removed from Covid-19 watch lists.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/08/13/opinion/beating-coronavirus-with-knives-forks-moving-tables
Mary Ann Sorrentino
The Boston Globe
13 August 2020
Text / Under 800 Words
Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island are "repurposing parking lots, waterfronts, and any adjacent land where an al fresco meal can be savored, public health preserved, and restaurant profits protected" during the coronavirus pandemic. Collaborative efforts by various elected officials, health officials, and emergency responders are making the idea to repurpose outdoor areas feasible, and some restaurants have already projected a significant success in profits.
http://nmindepth.com/2020/08/12/childcare-centers-see-low-covid-19-transmission
Shaun Griswold
New Mexico In Depth
12 August 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Although the pandemic has brought on its own unique challenges, childcare centers in New Mexico have successfully developed safe and effective techniques to keep children and workers safe. At the UNM Chidren's campus, staff limits children to small groups, so if anyone tests positive, the risk of transmission is reduced. Some other centers have also implemented multiple levels of screening upon arrival before a child is allowed to join their group and have incorporated masks into playtime. “Masks are not a political issue for 3 and 4-year-olds. Nor are they a threat to their freedom or anything else.”
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/10/900882499/in-new-zealand-life-is-ordinary-again-after-101-days-with-no-community-spread
Laurel Wamsley
NPR
10 August 2020
Text / Under 800 Words
New Zealand has been able to nearly eradicate Covid-19 due to rapid intervention strategies taken by the government that were predicated on quickly identifying clusters of cases and implementing rigorous contact tracing. Although the country went 101 days without a single case reported, a few cases have once again surfaced. However, because residents had already been using a contact tracing smartphone app and were "encouraged to add masks to their emergency kits," many were prepared for the onset of any new cases.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/10/asia/new-zealand-coronavirus-milestone-intl-hnk-scli/index.html
Julia Hollingsworth
CNN
10 August 2020
Multi-Media / Under 3 Minutes
New Zealand went 100 days without a single new case of Covid-19 after implementing strict restrictions which included "no takeaways, no beaches, and no driving outside of your neighborhood." Because of the government's quick action, the county remained in lockdown for only seven weeks. The government is now keeping focus on elimination rather than eradication as it is expected that the virus could resurface.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/us/arizona-covid-19-cases-decline/index.html
Dakin Andone
CNN
6 August 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
In May, Arizona began removing coronavirus restrictions after seemingly containing the spread of the virus, but by June, the state's caseload was in a drastic incline. Learning from the mistake of reopening too soon, officials paused the reopening and reimposed measures such as mask wearing and business closures. Since then, the caseload has decreased significantly and earned praise from White House officials.
https://missionlocal.org/2020/08/locals-who-know-sunnydales-housing-projects-well-flattened-a-covid-19-outbreak
Lydia Chavez
Mission Local
5 August 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Community leaders in Sunnydale, CA contained a coronavirus scare through swift responses, appeals to the community, contact tracing and establishing neighborhood test sites. An emphasis on public education in the neighborhood was also essential to the efforts. The hyperlocal response, which was unique to the community and catered to its needs, was lauded by health workers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/middleeast/coronavirus-israel-schools-reopen.html
Isabel Kershner
Pam Belluck
The New York Times
4 August 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
When schools in Israel reopened in May—believing its coronavirus cases were under control—infections quickly rose, and the country experienced an immediate second outbreak. The country has now become an example for others of lessons to learn like: placing emphasis on contact tracing, maintaining students in small groups if in-person instruction is happening, staggering schedules, and maintaining a safe social distance.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/how-a-packed-slum-in-mumbai-beat-back-the-coronavirus-as-indias-cases-continue-to-soar/2020/07/30/da859532-d039-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html
Niha Masih
The Washington Post
31 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
The population of Dharavi, a slum in Mumbai, made the region a hotspot for coronavirus transmission, but local officials' aggressive action plan – which included testing, contact tracing, quarantine, and increased sanitation efforts – helped quell the spread of the virus. Although the process was challenging for local doctors and the shutdown of normal day-to-day routines had a negative impact on the region's economy, Dharavi has already been able to begin the process of reopening.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/31/world/europe/italy-coronavirus-reopening.html
Jason Horowitz
The New York Times
31 July 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Italy, once a major hotspot for Covid-19 cases, has seen a significant decrease in the spread of the coronavirus after implementing strict government regulations including mandatory travel restrictions and isolation protocols. The success of the measures has been evident as the country begins to reopen – lifting restrictions in two-week increments to account for the "virus’s incubation period" – with no sign of the virus still spreading and hospitals remaining largely empty of critical cases.
https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/ManufacturingCOVID073020.aspx
Sydney Kornegay
FreshWater Cleveland
30 July 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Local businesses in Northeastern Ohio pivoted their operations to manufacture supplies needed to fight Covid-19 in an effort to fill a dire public need while preserving jobs for their employees. Employees were trained in industrial sewing machines to create masks, gowns, and other personal protective equipment for those on the frontlines. A Small Business Recovery grant allowed a distillery to use its existing technology to produce hand sanitizer instead of whiskey. Face shields were particularly tricky to produce effectively but 30 Northeast Ohio companies came together to create a custom product.
https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/health/coronavirus/virus-hunters-contact-tracing-slows-spread-through-painstaking-investigation/article_9fdd7499-4583-5a2c-aff4-6850051014a4.html
Tom Hallberg
Jackson Hole News & Guide
29 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Contact tracing has helped identify hundreds potential cases of Covid-19 in Teton County, Wyoming. Conducted by the county's health department, the process works much like it does for other communicable diseases, such as measles. According to the data collected from the efforts, 60% of those who have been contacted as being in contact with the coronavirus have tested positive for the virus themselves.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/madhukarpai/2020/07/26/fighting-the-good-fight-outbreak-lessons-from-kerala-and-malaysia
Madhukar Pai
Forbes
26 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Malaysia and India's Kerala state share a set of positive attributes that helped them contain COVID-19 outbreaks, including early and aggressive responses based on a trust in science, clear public communications, and long-term investments in public health informed by previous epidemics. Both regions began their preparations in January, heeding warnings that others ignored at that point. Their comprehensive responses enlisted their entire governments rather than just public health authorities as they relied on contact tracing, quarantines, and testing to limit illness and death.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/baltimore-nursing-home-covid-free/2020/07/23/31bddade-c78a-11ea-b037-f9711f89ee46_story.html
Rebecca Tan
The Washington Post
24 July 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Baltimore has reported approximately 10,000 cases of Covid-19, but the local Maryland Baptist Aged Home hasn't had a single senior resident infected due "a relatively small population of 29 residents, a strong history of infection control, a dedicated staff and...the cynicism that comes with residing in an underserved community." Leadership at the nursing home acted before local government officials did, implementing a strict lockdown and widespread testing protocols while also relying on measures already in place such as thorough infection-reducing cleaning regimens.
https://bhekisisa.org/article/2020-07-24-hiv-and-covid19-south-africa-community-engagement
Laura López González
Bhekisisa
24 July 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
As Covid-19 spread throughout regions of South Africa, public health clinics began reporting seeing fewer patients for HIV viral load testing due to shelter-in-place orders. In trying to mitigate the longterm implications of people missing their appointments, a few HIV specialists have joined the frontlines in local communities to act as both coronavirus testers and information conduits for HIV programs.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/23/vietnam-zero-coronavirus-deaths.html
Christina Farr
CNBC
23 July 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Vietnam is home to 95 million people, yet the country has reported less than 450 cases of coronavirus and not a single death thanks to quick implementation of lessons the country learned from the 2003 SARS pandemic. Although not all went smoothly in the country's response and critics have called some measures "excessive," the overall use of contact tracing, quarantine, and both business and movement restrictions have seemingly successfully contained the spread of the virus.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/countries-teach-united-states-safely-reopening-schools_l_5f19c354c5b6128e68228742
Catherine Pearson
The Huffington Post
23 July 2020
Multi-Media / 800-1500 Words
As schools across the United States weigh the pros and cons of sticking to remote learning, welcoming students back into the classroom, or a hybrid, there are lessons to learn from schools around the world. In China and France, teachers have gotten creative by having students wear wings that help them remember proper social distance, and other teachers have decorated the playground with smiley faces to indicate where students should stand. Other schools in Denmark and Finland reintroduced students to class by age, since data has supported that children under 10 are less likely to transmit the virus.
https://khn.org/news/states-search-for-ways-to-deal-with-covid-19-testing-backlogs
Phil Galewitz
Matt Volz
Kaiser Health News
23 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
To better serve those who have been tested for coronavirus, but have experienced a significant delay in receiving their results, states across the nation are experimenting with distributing the load of tests to various lab companies, as opposed to relying on just one. While this isn't the only method in place to fix the testing backlog, states that have already implemented a decentralized model – such as Texas – are seeing results delivered at a much quicker pace, and now other states – such as Montana – are turning to similar systems.
https://nigeriahealthwatch.com/rayuwa-da-korona-how-two-local-radio-stations-are-responding-to-covid-19-in-kano-state
el-Hamza Misbahu
Nigeria Health Watch
21 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Arewa Radio and Freedom Radio, two stations with large audiences in Kano State, actively combat misinformation and false rumors about the coronavirus. The stations run programming that builds trust and confidence between the public and health officials. They engage local religious leaders, who are very influential in the area, provide forums for listeners to ask questions of experts, and air programming in local languages with titles such as “Demystifying COVID-19” and “Eradicating COVID-19." Although they try to make programming widely accessible, some want content available online and in infographic form.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/21/germanys-coronavirus-response-masterful-science-communication.html
Christina Farr
CNBC
21 July 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
To contain the spread of the coronavirus, Germany relied heavily on communication and information tactics that prioritized the voices of health and science officials. Although misinformation was still a problem for the country, the overall approach in enhancing scientific communication appears to have payed off given that country has one of the lowest mortality rates in Europe.
https://www.naplesnews.com/story/life/2020/07/20/immokalee-mision-peneil-perseveres-amid-coronavirus-regulations/5392556002
Sarah Murphy
Naples Daily News
20 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
When the coronavirus threatened the economic well-being and health of the immigrant farmworkers in Florida's agricultural hub in Collier County, faith-based organizations that could no longer serve free hot meals pivoted to a weekly distribution of donated food and homemade masks. Immokalee's Mision Peniel and area churches served an average of 400 people per week since the early days of the outbreak, focusing on financially struggling families, with bags of vegetables, meat, and other staples.
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/07/20/your-zoom-interrogation-is-about-to-start
Eli Hager
The Marshall Project
20 July 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Traditional police interrogation tactics that emphasize invading someone’s personal space to increase anxiety, read body language, and prompt confessions have had to undergo changes during the pandemic, some of which offer new advantages. While police say they lose some needed leverage to do their jobs when interviews are conducted through masks, outdoors in public, or via teleconferencing screens, the workarounds encourage taping of all interviews and more transparency when the public can observe how police work.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/15/how-taiwan-beat-the-coronavirus.html
Christina Farr
CNBC
15 July 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Taiwan – a country of nearly 24 million people – has reported less than 500 cases and only seven deaths, largely due to the rapid implementation of a public health emergency response plan. By successfully using a combination of quarantine measures, social pressure, technology, and consistent communication, the country was able to begin reopening in May.
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/07/15/889802561/a-covid-19-success-story-in-rwanda-free-testing-robot-caregivers
Jason Beaubien
NPR
15 July 2020
Radio / 3-5 Minutes
Rwanda, a country with the same population of Ohio, has emerged as an example of how to slow the spread of coronavirus, with only 1,500 cases reported so far. Besides initiating a lockdown, implementing free testing, and recruiting community health care workers, police, and college students to be contact tracers, officials also used "the same structure, same people, same infrastructure and laboratory diagnostics" that had been working to contain the spread of HIV.
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