DKA studied 72 cities to determine the best 50.

Lisbon, Portugal was ranked No. With a score 50.37, it was defeated by the rocky vaccination rollout of the first half 2021. According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, Portugal has the highest level of vaccination in the world. Nearly 86% have received two doses.

The top 50 cities not included in the analysis were Baghdad, Istanbul, New Delhi and Cairo as well as New Delhi, Bangkok, New Delhi, Cairo and New Delhi.

Many people who live in cities that are high up on DKA’s lists will not agree with the city’s highest ranking. There have been protests across Europe and America over Covid-19 vaccine safety requirements and mandates. Also, there has been a significant disavowal by some of the so-called Zero Covid strategies in Asia and Australia.

The report found that while satisfaction levels with government increased in Seoul and Abu Dhabi during the pandemics, they plummeted across 80% cities.

Alexei Cresniov (DKA Director) stated that all cities scored an average of 55.36 percent out of possible 100 points. “Every city has some room for improvement.”

Cresniov stated that high-ranking cities tended to respond quickly and early on.

Countries with response plans in place due to recent health crises — such as Singapore, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates — were better prepared, according to the report. Cresniov noted that Italy was the exception, having a plan to deal with pandemics, but failing to execute it.

Cities that already had — or that quickly developed — technology related to contract tracing, telemedicine and vaccination distribution ranked high on the list.

Cresniov stated that the highest ranking areas were those in metropolitan areas, either in countries with dictatorial governments or places where strict measures are taken to stop the pandemic. However, the balance was necessary over time, he said.

In “the later stages, the main thing is the balance … between lockdown and the resources of your population,” he said, adding that lockdowns started failing as economic and psychological harm increased.

Cresniov stated that the population who has a high level of trust in local authorities have done better against the coronavirus.

It’s evident both in Abu Dhabi, as well as elsewhere in Asia.

According to him, pandemic response in Hong Kong was hampered by a lack of trust, along with Russia and Western liberal democracies like the United States and Canada.

It also revealed that

• The pandemic showed poor coordination among national and local governments.
• There was no city with the ability to provide healthcare for the large-scale pandemic outbreaks.

• Only 10% cities have “well-thought out plans” for economic support to citizens and businesses. Tetiana Humeniuk, DKA’s head of analytics, mentioned Toronto, Berlin, London and Berlin as examples.

• 25 percent of cities have adopted effective and quick measures to “flatten” the curve, while 11% were thoroughly tested and contracted-traced. According to the report, these measures along with quarantines are “the keys to combating a pandemic.”  

• The study found that only 17% have developed a complete post-Covid strategy.        
• The report shows that countries worldwide responded to pandemics more effectively individually than together.