Before the novel coronavirus emerged, we had rankings of countries' readiness. Now we have rankings of countries' responses, using all kinds of measures. Co-hosts Jeff Sackmann and Carl Bialik consider the rankings. Do we know enough to say how well people and their governments have responded? How much does luck play a role? Is it too early for a true assessment?

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Episode reading list:

https://news.yahoo.com/brazils-covid-19-response-worst-023523992.html

https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2020/07/which-country-has-had-the-best-response-to-the-coronavirus.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02596-8

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-03/singapore-s-covid-success-isn-t-easily-replicated

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/03/swedish-model-failed-covid-19

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/22/sweden-coronavirus-covid-response/

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-22/how-winter-california-covid-19-surge-got-so-bad

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/01/15/ireland-has-one-of-the-worlds-highest-covid-19-infection-rates

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/business/coronavirus-vaccines-global-economy.html