Stay Ahead: Insights from APCO

APCO is tracking Americans’ attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19. The latest installment, from polling conducted from April 16-17, 2020, looks at Americans’ attitudes and behaviors related to technology:​​
  • 87% of Americans say it is important for technology companies to limit the spread of misinformation related to COVID-19.
  • 46% of Americans say it’s very important to use people’s data to track the spread of COVID-19.
  • 57% of Americans also say it is very important for tech companies to improve the security of their products and protect user data.
To access the latest research and resources on the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit APCO's Coronavirus Hub.
Webinar: Location Branding - How to Attract Tourism in a Post-COVID-19 Environment

With a global economic recession and social/physical distancing becoming a way of life, tourism destinations will need to be more competitive than ever. Fear of crowded spaces, flight travel, health insurance consideration, repatriation policies and costs will define decisions made by tourists when considering a vacation destination. On Tuesday, April 28 from 12:00pm-1:00pm ET, you are invited to join a conversation about how cities and locations need to think about tourism in a post-COVID-19 environment. RSVP here.

SINGAPORE'S SECOND WAVE HIT

APCO colleagues are sharing on-the-ground insights and analysis on the impact of COVID-19 in markets around the world. Today’s dispatch from APCO’s Singapore office highlights the recent "circuit breaker" lockdown measures impact on the city's economy. The "circuit breaker" is an order by the Singaporean prime minister to stay at home to break the chain of transmission within Singapore and was recently extended until June 1.

Singapore’s containment policy has been turned on its head, with its infection rates escalating from the hundreds to the thousands. What was once the opportunity to avoid an economic shutdown turned into two continuous months of lockdown as the government fought front and center to maintain and contain the infections. To date, Singapore has swiftly risen from having the lowest numbers to the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia and to the third-highest number of infections in Asia, after both India and China.
 
Now, Singapore is facing mounting criticism for employing an epidemic-prevention strategy that neglected its foreign migrant workers – a sore point in Singapore’s societal fabric. Overlooked and ignored, many migrant workers live in dense living quarters with no way to socially distance themselves. The high-risk of a cluster outbreak in these communities ultimately led to Singapore becoming one of the worst-hit economies from the pandemic. Once numbers stabilize, the immediate challenge for the country and the region is the risk of reinfection and further outbreaks. How Singapore is equipped to manage that and balance long-term post-pandemic challenges will impact business decisions significantly. Social distancing measures and remote distancing measures in the public will limit the way retail businesses can operate. Infrastructure projects may slow down in anticipation of slowing down the spread of infection.

Some Positive News

  • Global collaboration: The World Health Organization launched the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator global initiative to create equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, World Economic Forum
  • Social distancing dance party: Coronavirus in Ireland – Dublin community come together to perform epic Saturday Night social distancing dance routine, The Irish Sun
  • Towards recovery: Italy reports lowest single-day coronavirus death toll since March 12, Axios

More Tips from Around the Water Cooler

Quotables


“The crisis in the world is so big that each of us will have to take maximum risk now to put this disease to a stop.”

     - Paul Stoffels, Vice Chairmain & Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson


"During World War II, an amazing amount of innovation, including radar, reliable torpedoes, and code-breaking, helped end the war faster. This will be the same with the pandemic. I break the innovation into five categories: treatments, vaccines, testing, contact tracing, and policies for opening up. Without some advances in each of these areas, we cannot return to the business as usual or stop the virus."

      - Bill Gates
The APCO team is working with clients globally to manage this crisis, and we stand ready to support your needs. For more resources from APCO, including our latest research, information on how we can help or to contact us, visit apcoworldwide.com/coronavirus.