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Commentary: MERS-CoV Outbreak in South Korea – Public Policy Trumped by Fear and Politics

The MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus) outbreak in South Korea has caused great concern in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in the wake of the devastating Ebola epidemic in Western Africa. From a policy perspective, the responses of countries in the region affected by MERS-CoV to contain and control the outbreak provides an example of where public policy is dictated and influenced by fear, anxiety and politics rather than the strength of existing evidence. This, in turn, results in unnecessary over-reaction, wastage of human and financial resources, and negative impacts on a country’s economy. The issue on hand can be best addressed through a series of pertinent questions.