Policy coordination is vital if Covid-19 mitigation measures are to effectively control the spread of the virus and minimize the adverse impacts. Good coordination ensures a unified and comprehensive approach, reduces misperceptions among the public about government Covid-19 policy and optimizes resource allocation. In the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries faced significant challenges in coordinating policies to effectively address the crisis.

Governments implemented a range of measures to control the outbreak, including travel restrictions, border controls and the establishment of quarantine facilities. They also implemented various public health measures such as social distancing, the closure of non-essential businesses and the enforcement of mask-wearing.

Many governments faced challenges when balancing the two policy objectives of maintaining an open economy and limiting the transmission of Covid-19. Often, public health and economic needs were pitted against each other in a debate over which should take precedence. In reality, both are equally important (Yeoh, Ch 9 in this volume).

The Covid-19 crisis taught us that good coordination needs strong leadership supported by reliable and timely data and information. Nevertheless, the pandemic shows how capacity and capability are often lacking across governmental agencies and institutions, at both the central and subnational levels.

The three chapters in this section reflect on how the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand coped with coordination failures during the crisis. Each country initially struggled to implement proper policy measures. In the three country studies, different authorities and jurisdictions implemented conflicting or contradictory policies, leading to confusion and uncertainty among the public. Nevertheless, after several policy changes and as more information and data became available, policy coordination improved. This bolstered the efficacy of the pandemic responses. This essay focuses on three elements of effective coordination.