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I think there is another factor as well: have a look at train stations during rush hour on East Asia currently vs. Europe. 1) the density is significantly highe

I think there is another factor as well: have a look at train stations during rush hour on East Asia currently vs. Europe. 1) the density is significantly higher but 2) nearly everyone is wearing surgical masks now. I think that mask wearing is an effective measure to slow down the spread, acting at the sender side rather than the receiver (which Western people tend to focus on). You can see a similarly lower exponential spread in other Asian nations compared to Europe and I think that masks plus a lesser degree of body contact can explain this largely.

mantap 7y ago
Part of the problem is that pretty much everybody in East Asia already owned at least one mask. In Europe pretty much nobody owned a mask prior to COVID-19. And masks have been sold out for weeks. If masks were easily available you'd see people wearing them I'm sure.
- WildGreenLeave 7y ago
  At least in The Netherlands there are still plenty of masks to be found. You won't find the surgical masks anymore but masks for construction work is still plenty available. I think most europeans look down on wearing masks as something stupid, most europeans also think hand sanitizer is stupid. (This just applies to my dutch family and friends over there, I am currently in Thailand and always wearing a mask and hand sanitizer)
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
- hrktb 7y ago
  This is partly an effect of cultural issues related to immunity and how it's perceived in most europe countries. Even putting aside the whole deliberate sharing germs and force building body resistance, wearing a mask is seen as anti-social, somewhat selfish, weak and alarming. People's reactions to a mask is really ranging from "you shouldn't wear it at all, we're among friends (at work)" to "if you're that ill you shouldn't get out of your home and take a sick leave". There few middle ground, accepting wearing a mask just in a case, or for some benign infection.
imtringued 7y ago
You can't know who has the virus so everyone has to wear the mask to prevent the spread.
therealx 7y ago
Except no one seems to wear them fully correctly, and a lot of people don't have the proper rating of mask. Not to mention theres a limited supply of masks.

mantap 7y ago

Part of the problem is that pretty much everybody in East Asia already owned at least one mask. In Europe pretty much nobody owned a mask prior to COVID-19. And masks have been sold out for weeks. If masks were easily available you'd see people wearing them I'm sure.

WildGreenLeave 7y ago
At least in The Netherlands there are still plenty of masks to be found. You won't find the surgical masks anymore but masks for construction work is still plenty available. I think most europeans look down on wearing masks as something stupid, most europeans also think hand sanitizer is stupid. (This just applies to my dutch family and friends over there, I am currently in Thailand and always wearing a mask and hand sanitizer)
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
hrktb 7y ago
This is partly an effect of cultural issues related to immunity and how it's perceived in most europe countries. Even putting aside the whole deliberate sharing germs and force building body resistance, wearing a mask is seen as anti-social, somewhat selfish, weak and alarming. People's reactions to a mask is really ranging from "you shouldn't wear it at all, we're among friends (at work)" to "if you're that ill you shouldn't get out of your home and take a sick leave". There few middle ground, accepting wearing a mask just in a case, or for some benign infection.

imtringued 7y ago

You can't know who has the virus so everyone has to wear the mask to prevent the spread.

therealx 7y ago

Except no one seems to wear them fully correctly, and a lot of people don't have the proper rating of mask. Not to mention theres a limited supply of masks.