79.1 Overall Score (up 19.1 since Aug 1st.)

Taiwan

  • 82.2 Public Health
    Directives
  • 66.9 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication
  • 82.2 Public Health
    Directives
  • 66.9 Financial
    Response
  • 100 Fact-Based
    Communication

Taiwan has a relatively strong policy score, but its minimal stimulus and weak debt relief bring it down. However, the data does not accurately measure its advanced contact tracing, which may have diminished the need for more restrictions; this likely results in a score that underestimates Taiwan’s response.

Pre-COVID Conditions

Taiwan scored well in pre-pandemic subcategories, but a lack of available data obscures the picture.

  • Debt/GDP ratio 35.1%
  • GDP/capita $57,214
  • Gini coefficient (out of 100) NO DATA
  • Infant mortality rate (out of 1,000 live births) NO DATA
  • Healthcare access score (out of 100) 77.6
  • Hospital beds/1,000 People NO DATA

Government Response

Select a data point for more information
(Data points represent policy level as of Jan 1.)
82.2

Public Health Directives

Taiwan has a very strong public health policy score, driven by its extremely effective contact tracing—demonstrated by a consistently low case rate—which resulted in very low case numbers that allowed Taiwan to not need more stringent policies.

  • Stay at home order 0
  • Public gathering restrictions 0
  • School closings 0
  • Public event cancellations 0
  • Testing policy 0
  • Emergency healthcare investments/capita $23.55
  • Travel restrictions 3
  • Tests/1,000 people 5.3
  • Contact tracing 2
66.9

Financial Response

Taiwan had a relatively strong financial response relative to its low number of cases

  • Financial stimulus as share of GDP 5.5%
  • Income support 1
  • Debt forebearance 1
100

Fact-Based Communication

Taiwan’s government is very strong in this category, as it has not engaged in misinformation or limited press freedom in response to COVID-19.

  • Reliance on science/fact based information 0
  • Press freedom 0

COVID-19 Status as of Jan 1

Taiwan has performed very strongly across all subcategories, with both a low death and case rate and a low positivity rate, likely boosted by its strong pre-pandemic capacity, and successful, tech-enabled response.

  • Total deaths 7
  • Death rate per 100K 0.3
  • Total cases 802
  • Cases per 100K 34
  • Percent of positive tests 0.6
  • Change in positivity rates +0.3
Case Trend Line
Daily cases
Date Status New Cases/1M
1 Feb 25 Schools reopen 0.05
2 Mar 19 Foreign nationals forbidden from entering country 0.35
3 Dec 01 All those traveling to or through Taiwan must have negative COVID-19 test 3 days before travel, masks mandated in more placed (temples, art galleries, bars) 0.37

Differentiating Factors

Compared with Other Island Nations
  • 53.5
    Indonesia 751,270
    Cases     2,747
    Per 1M     22,329
    Deaths

    Indonesia scores relatively weakly, a big drop in the past few months, keyed by substantial weakening of travel restrictions, testing policy, and debt relief.

  • 79.6
    Japan 239,068
    Cases     1,890
    Per 1M     3,342
    Deaths

    Japan has a strong overall score, driven by its generous financial response and a reliance on facts, although its public health policy is very weak.

  • 88.5
    New Zealand 2,162
    Cases     448
    Per 1M     25
    Deaths

    New Zealand has had very strong policy, particularly with regard to its reliance on science and facts and its relatively strong financial response.

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New Zealand

Statistics and government response factors available on each country profile include:

Pre-COVID Conditions:

  • Debt to GDP ratio
  • Infant mortality rates
  • Hospital beds per 1,000 people
  • Gini coefficients measuring inequality
  • Health access and quality

COVID-19 Public Health Directives:

  • Stay-at home orders
  • School-closing policy
  • Public-gathering restrictions
  • Cancellation of public events
  • Testing policy and rates per 1,000 people
  • Emergency healthcare spending per capita
  • Travel restrictions
  • Contact tracing

COVID-19 Financial Response:

  • Stimulus package as a share of GDP
  • Income support
  • Debt-forbearance

Public Communications:

  • Instances of misinformation by leadership
  • Limitations on press freedom, censorship

Current/Historic In-Country COVID-19 Status:

  • Death rates per 1 million
  • Case rates per 1 million