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Asia Minute: Next stage of pandemic draws different policy responses across region

A passenger arrives on an early morning flight at Sydney Airport, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Mark Baker/AP
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AP
A passenger arrives on an early morning flight at Sydney Airport, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

As COVID cases rise again in many parts of the world, governments are trying different methods to fight the virus. And that includes a contrast between two leading countries in the Asia Pacific.

This past weekend, new restrictions went into effect in South Korea to fight the latest spike of the pandemic — while Australia is taking a different approach.

In South Korea, the allowable size of private gatherings has been cut to four — curfews are back in effect — 9 p.m. for most restaurants, cafes and bars, and most schools are moving back to using remote learning at least part of the time.

In Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters Friday there will be no lockdowns, adding that the country has entered “a different phase of the pandemic.”

His government is paying close attention to contact tracing and public disclosure of exposure sites.

This information can be remarkably specific — a 20-minute period at a particular café — a half hour at a baggage carousel in the Hobart Airport in Tasmania.

On a broader scale, state governments post maps of exposure sites on official websites.

As you zoom in on locations, details emerge with the names of businesses, churches and other gathering places.

Many include color-coded risk levels — from low-risk casual contact to close contact.

On Friday, authorities were focused on tracking down hundreds of people who attended a Taylor Swift album party in Sydney — that they say has become a super spreader event.

Bill Dorman has been the news director at Hawaiʻi Public Radio since 2011.
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