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As the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the world, close to four billion people in over 90 countries are under mandatory lockdowns. The virus has in its wake taken both tens of thousands of lives and millions of livelihoods. Countries continue to grapple with the challenges of testing, quarantines and lack of medical facilities and equipment. It is also evident that global trade and national economies will take a much worse battering than expected. Focus created this special section of the website to capture some of the impacts of COVID-19 in Asia
Latest Articles/Statements
COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts on Migrant Workers in Thailand
by Supatsak Pobsuk* 14 April 2020 Thailand has more than three million migrant workers, mostly from the neighbouring countries of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. These workers are engaged in labour-intensive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, food processing,...
How have Asian Governments responded to the COVID-19 Pandemic?
By Shalmali Guttal* 19 April 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has made visible the stark realities of social, economic and political inequality in Asia. Class and social privilege, race/ethnicity, gender, occupation and age determine who are most vulnerable to the virus and...
Covid-19 Outbreak: Socio-economic Impact on Small-scale Fisher and Aquaculture in Indonesia
By Indonesian Traditional Fisherfolk Union (DPP KNTI) Jakarta, April 17, 2020 Small-scale fishers and aquaculture have an important role and become a mainstay in sustaining national food sovereignty. In Indonesia, fishery products provide 54% of all animal protein...
Philippines: Informal Workers face brunt of COVID-19 Lockdown
By Joseph Purugganan* 17 April 2020 The Luzon-wide lockdown implemented by the Duterte administration has been in place for over a month now. On April 7, with the number of cases and deaths rising, the government extended the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until...
Corona: A View from Below
By Fabio Braun Carrasco* 15 April 2020 The novel Corona virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, has ushered many parts of the world in a state of disarray. Within the span of a few weeks countries found themselves implementing measures that would otherwise be unthinkable....