Debate rages on the virtues of holding the Tokyo Olympics as planned amid a global pandemic. Opinions diverge, but one thing is clear: The International Olympic Committee is fortunate to have opted for Tokyo’s “safe pair of hands,” as few other cities would be capable of hosting the upcoming games.
Japan’s policy toward the COVID-19 pandemic has been one of coexistence. This approach is based on the simple countermeasures of masking, hand washing, social distancing and contact tracing. The aim is to keep infections within manageable levels. It is predicated on a broad level of public compliance.
Other nations have pursued eradication. The eradication stratagem begins with severe forms of lockdown until rates of infection reach zero. Lockdown is then reimposed when even a single positive case is detected. It is most applicable in regions or nations in which borders can be effectively controlled.