Covid-19 has taken a toll on the way of life, especially the work structure. As things gradually return to normal, some countries have done an outstanding job at reducing worker’s risk to exposure. We will be reviewing some of these countries and why they are the best options for employees to work.
With the invention of the vaccine, Covid-19 is starting to seem less of a threat thanks to the global effort put into the battle against the virus. However, the existence of the virus is undeniable. While some countries seem to be handling it better than others, some countries still suffer from its impact in all sectors.
We will be introducing you to the best countries to work in despite the outbreak. The list in this article is based on Bloomberg's Covid resilient ranking and the current situation in each country. So, you must know that these rankings are liable to change.
10 best countries that are safe for your health and finances
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New Zealand
Since the inception of the virus, New Zealand has shown impeccable performance in effectively handling the whole situation. The country has been on top of this list for five consecutive months until a slight waver in April.
The government of New Zealand’s quick response to the virus spread using a four-level alert system is impressive. This alert system aims at communicating with its citizens to give them insights into how the government is handling the situation at different levels.
The coronavirus cases in New Zealand are said to be taking a sporadic form. The closure of borders seems to have helped them contain the number of cases. Today, the country has only 27 active cases out of 2,353 confirmed cases.
In New Zealand, the vaccine is free and available to anyone that is 16 years old and over. Although they seem to be slow in administering the vaccine, their strict compliance to the Covid-19 protocols and international flight ban appears to be doing much good. The safety of its citizens has not been compromised, even as workers resume at the office and people begin to head back to the pre-covid lifestyle.
Singapore
In May, Singapore topped the list as the best place to live in the Covid era. However, infections began to creep back despite their tight border restrictions. The country fears that they will be living in an endless cycle of lockdown restrictions, so the people of Singapore have been advised to remain indoors and maintain social distancing while in public gatherings.
The government of Singapore promises to ease the restrictions as the policies have gradually yielded positive results. The number of people at social gatherings has now been raised. However, working from home is still at default, and only essential workers are allowed to visit the office.
The administration of the vaccine in Singapore makes it an excellent place to work in. With a total of 4.3 million administered vaccines, living an everyday life seems promising. The country also seeks to extend the vaccination program to citizens ranging from ages 12 to 39 to keep it safe and Covid-19 free in no time.
Australia
Australia’s faith in science has given its citizens the freedom and opportunity to continue normal activities as the rate of infections keeps reducing. Just like with New Zealand, the country’s quick closure of borders has led to a pandemic-free nation. Hotel quarantine was also implemented to avoid foreign cases.
Closing its borders made it possible to build a testing and tracking system that proved efficient, as it could control the changes in population and isolate potential outbreaks. Australia has handled the covid situation adequately, even without the administration of vaccines at the time.
Today, a total of 5,867,299 covid-1 doses have been administered in Australia. The country has successfully eliminated the spread of the virus internally, and activities are now fully back to normal. Whether or not you choose to work from home, your chances of getting infected are extremely low.
Israel
Life seems to be just the way it was about three years ago in Israel. With over 55% of its residents being fully vaccinated, the virus is rapidly fading away. People can now go out without putting on their masks, attend social gatherings, go to the spa, and continue working at the office.
While a majority of its citizens have been vaccinated, the Israeli government still believes they are far from conquering the virus. They also think they are far from herd immunity as the companies producing the vaccines have not supplied the required amount to vaccinate all its citizens.
However, the Israeli government has taken a further step in protecting its people by administering mRNA shots that stop people from contracting the virus and prevent them from spreading it.
South Korea
South Korea has managed to suppress the spread of the virus as much as it can. Even though they have not succeeded in completely eradicating the spread, they have still made a lot of progress in drastically reducing the number of cases. South Korea is gradually returning to the old ways with a blend of high-tech contact tracing, aggressive testing, and enforced isolation.
The country’s fast adaptation to the pandemic makes it a safe place for work operations. All infected persons with mild symptoms or not, are isolated and wearing masks is mandatory. With only 5.8% of its population being fully vaccinated, the country seems to be doing pretty well in curbing the spread.
Finland
Finland has also served as a role model to many countries when taming the deadly virus. The government imposed a two-month lockdown as soon as the virus began to spread globally. Their swift response to the widespread virus has helped them contain it.
The high digitization standards of Finland made it easier for citizens to cooperate with the restrictions set by its government. Working from home became effortless and digital schooling too, as each student has a laptop at their disposal. With 24.1% of its population being fully vaccinated, the government still encourages a work-from-home system to further reduce the virus's spread.
Norway
Norway has made speedy progress in becoming a safe work environment for employees as the number of covid cases reduces drastically. The Norwegian government’s swiftness in banning educational institutions, cultural and sports activities contributed to their success in suppressing the spread of the virus.
Norwegian citizens also trust the policies formulated by their government, which made it possible to control the spread of the coronavirus duly. Although the country still has stringent laws and restrictions against social gatherings and other activities, the government is fully functional. With 21.9% of its citizens fully vaccinated, the authority is relentlessly looking to push further in expanding these numbers.
Denmark
The Danish government has begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel as the economy plans to re-open. The country has successfully avoided a third wave of the virus, all thanks to its immediate lockdown.
Denmark has now uplifted all restrictions from cultural, social, and sports activities. The Danish government also provides a mobile app, The Corona Passport, that helps signify organizations if a person has been vaccinated, been previously infected, or has taken a test within the last 72 hours. This way, the exposure to covid-19 is at a minimum level.
Mainland China
China is known for all-around excellence, and curbing the spread of the deadly virus is no exception. The country was quick to shut all borders without jeopardizing the financial condition of its economy, as they are dependent to a large extent.
As of the time this article was written, China produces the largest vaccine doses in the world. The Chinese government is producing their vaccines, but they are also importing from places like Brazil and Chile. Being the most densely populated country globally, they have vaccinated 17.8% of its population, and more vaccinations were rolling in weekly.
Hong Kong
During the first wave of the corona outbreak, Hong Kong closed various economic departments in phases to keep activities going. Gyms, bars, and offices were closed while restaurants, malls, and trains continued operating.
Today, all economic activities are back to operation, and Hong Kong has eliminated the virus largely. With a relatively dense population, you’d expect this country to have a spike in the number of cases, but Hong Kong has gone consecutive weeks with zero cases.
The Hong Kong government is no stranger to a widespread virus; the SARS outbreak in 2003 has taught them so much. Beating covid-19 with a high-tech tracing system and travel restrictions was something they have adequately mastered.
The future of working in a global pandemic
While the pandemic is still a threat in most countries like India, these countries seem to have eliminated the virus significantly. These countries are beginning to accept Covid as an endemic and build a suitable lifestyle around it.
The above-reviewed countries make the perfect choice for all employees who want to keep working in a pandemic. Their various policies reduce your chances of being exposed to or contracting the virus.
