Latest Bloomberg ranking ‘best country to be in pandemic’ places Argentina last

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The United States is now the best country to be during the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, according to a list of 53 nations reviewed by economy media outlet Bloomberg and released Monday, Argentina is the worst option.

When this ranking first appeared in November 2020, the questionable honor of being last was granted to Mexico, which has moved up considerably to 34th place in Monday’s issue.

Brazil ranks a modest 41st,  between Vietnam and Iran.

According to Bloomberg, the main indicator measured to define where each country stands was normalization.

Large vaccination campaigns are reportedly allowing parts of the world to abolish mask mandates, relax restrictions and dismantle border curbs, making the scale of the reopening key to the quality of life.

The appearance of Covid-19 cases and deaths, which was once paramount along with a strong health care system, is now giving way to the ability to turn back the clock and go back to pre-pandemic times as the pattern of greater importance, for which the opening of an economy to the world is essential, it was reported.

Argentina has banned beef exports for 30 days and resumed them only partially while it has also limited the number of airborne passengers to be allowed daily into the country, a measure which most health care experts have deemed unnecessary and which some analysts in Buenos Aires claim to be grounded on a personal dislike by Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kiciloff of people who can afford to travel.

There is also a widespread rumor in Argentina that Kiciloff is the true heir of Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s political legacy and not President Alberto Fernandez, whom -according to rumors- she will not endorse for reelection in 2023. The country has also been demoted last week to a “Stand Alone” economy, a category not even worth measuring for the MSCI ratings.

Bloomberg has thus focused on how easy it is getting in and out of a location and how much air travel has recovered, along with our 10 other metrics that trace death rates to infection count, freedom of movement, and economic growth.

This turnaround has ushered in dramatic changes in the rankings. The United States is now number one, with its rapid and expansive vaccine drive, dominated by highly effective Messenger RNA injections, stopping what was once the worst outbreak in the world.

Restaurants are full, masks are no longer required for vaccinated people, and Americans are going on vacation again, emboldened by a vaccination rate that covers half the population. This year, the United States has poised for breakneck economic growth thanks to a US$1.9 trillion stimulus package and inoculation-fueled consumer confidence.

Due to the change in focus of the Ranking, it is no longer being directly compared to last month’s.

European countries such as Switzerland, France, and Spain are in the top 10 as they open their borders to vaccinated tourists while hospitalizations fall thanks to the inoculation, Bloomberg pointed out.

Parts of the Asia-Pacific region that performed well in the Ranking so far, such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia, fall as strict border restrictions remain in place and a zero-tolerance approach to small virus outbreaks limits their reopening capacity; Taiwan plunges into the bottom half for the same reasons, in addition to a lagged vaccination campaign and a resurgent outbreak.

India, the Philippines, and some Latin American countries rank lowest amid a perfect storm of outbreaks triggered by variants, slow vaccination, and global isolation.

Mexico improved its situation due to the progress in the application of vaccines, the reopening of businesses, the capacity of flights, and the travel routes where a significant number of immunizations have already been applied.

The complete list is as follows:

1- USA; 2- New Zealand; 3- Switzerland; 4- Israel; 5- France; 6- Spain; 7- Australia; 8- China; 9- UK; 10- South Korea; 11- Norway; 12- Denmark; 13- Singapore; 14- Turkey; 15- Saudi Arabia; 16- Belgium; 17- Finland; 18- United Arab Emirates; 19- Greece; 20- Romania; 21- Sweden; 22- Netherlands; 23- Japan; 24- Canada; 25- Austria; 26- Italy; 27- Ireland; 28-Germany; 29-Portugal; 30- Hong Kong; 31- Czech Republic; 32- Russia; 33- Egypt; 34- Mexico; 35- Poland; 36- Nigeria; 37- Iraq; 38- Chile; 39- Thailand; 40- Vietnam; 41- Brazil; 42- Iran; 43- South Africa; 44- Taiwan; 45- Peru; 46- Bangladesh; 47- Pakistan; 48- Colombia; 49- Indonesia; 50- India; 51- Malaysia; 52- Philippines; 53- Argentina.