Like the United States, many countries around the world are trying to figure out, in real time, how to respond to the novel coronavirus. Different countries have experienced and responded to the pandemic in different ways, and some have been more successful than others in managing the impacts due to a variety of factors—from testing rates to the extent to which positive cases were isolated. Now, after weeks, if not months, of lockdowns, some countries are beginning to slowly reopen their economies, while others continue to struggle with the spread of COVID-19. As the United States considers how to safely reopen its economy, it should look to these international experiences and develop policy responses to ensure a sustained U.S. public health and economic recovery.

It is important to understand how and why, for instance, South Korea, New Zealand, and Taiwan have been so successful, while Italy and Spain have struggled; and in the case of Singapore, it looked successful at first but is now experiencing a resurgence in cases. But there are some general lessons that the United States can learn from others in terms of how to begin reopening the economy safely. Above all else, it must act quickly to mitigate the virus’s spread; reopen businesses in measured, careful steps, only after there has been significant progress in slowing the spread of the virus; and have in place adequate testing and contact tracing, which will allow for evidence-based decision-making......