Southeast Asia and COVID-19 Update

Recent surges of COVID-19 infections in Southeast Asia are costing lives and threatening to derail economic recovery from last year’s painful recession. In response, regional countries are re-introducing social distancing measures and desperately trying to ramp up vaccination programs after a slow start. In Myanmar, the public health system has been another victim of the military’s coup, threatening a previously strong record on containing the pandemic.

What is the outlook for a return to economic recovery In this complex and dynamic environment? Can Southeast Asia once again contain the pandemic or could we see infection rates spiral out of control? And can vaccination programs be surged in time? Finally, how are the politics of the pandemic playing out across the region?

To discuss these issues, Asia Society Australia and the Asia Society Policy Institute warmly invite you to a public panel with Jayant Menon, visiting senior fellow at The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies; Huong Le Thu, senior analyst at Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Defence and Strategy Program; and Richard Maude, senior fellow of the Asia Society Policy Institute. This event will be moderated by Emma Connors, South-east Asia correspondent for the Australian Financial Review.

As background for this discussion you may wish to read Asia Society Australia’s latest essays "Southeast Asia’s Economic Outlook: New Variants Threaten Recovery" and "Southeast Asia and COVID-19 Vaccines Explained" from the Southeast Asia and COVID-19 project.

Date: Thursday 22 July 2021
Time: 3 – 3:45 p.m. AEST

Please note this event will run as a webcast only. Registration is essential. For any enquiries, please contact programaustralia@asiasociety.org