This book was researched and drafted in 2019, and the use of data and evidence reflects that. It grew from my increasing frustration with how governments in many parts of the world, notably Australia, the US and the UK, the three countries I know best, continually blame citizens for what I see as government failure. Just as I was delivering the manuscript to the publishers in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan in China's Hubei province. From the start there was some discussion in the media about how dangerous it might be and whether it posed a threat of pandemic, but this was all rather low key. As early as January 2020, some countries were taking actions against the risk of such a pandemic, but these were in South East Asia. Europe, Australia, Africa and the Americas did not seem too concerned. Some governments were planning behind the scenes, others were not.

By March 2020 it was becoming clear to everyone that COVID-19 was a pandemic that required drastic action. As I write now, in late April 2020, it is clear that governmental responses to COVID-19 have varied widely. Some countries, when they acted, did so decisively, others not. Furthermore, the strategic response has differed.

Some countries closed borders and ordered lockdowns quickly to stop the spread of the disease. Some have taken a more relaxed attitude, providing citizens with advice on hygiene and physical distancing, but have not enforced lockdowns. Singapore, for example, took early tough action on entry into the country and shut down businesses and schools. New Zealand also took relatively swift and dramatic action. Both countries, as of April 2020, have been widely praised for their actions. Sweden has taken a different line. It encouraged citizens to be careful and to maintain some physical distance, but has not enforced lockdowns. Its rate of infection and its mortality rate are both higher than in countries with stricter conditions, notably similar neighbouring countries such as Norway and Finland. As I write, Swedish experts and the government there are still defending their policies, arguing that their superior health service has not been overwhelmed as it has in some countries and that we will not really be able to tell for several years, after later waves, and economies had a chance to recover, which policy, ultimately was best.