In Bhutan, prayers and ceremonies are being offered on a daily basis to ward off the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. With just seven cases and zero deaths so far, many in the Himalayan Kingdom believe they are being spared by their guardian deities.
Yet while fortune may have played its part, the often overlooked Buddhist nation is emerging as an unlikely success case for how to handle the outbreak with decisive and collective leadership. Indeed, had it not been for the strong initiative taken by its king, government, and citizens, the country of around 750,000 may have faced a terrible fate.
(Worshippers arrive at Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, Photo Credit: Tej Parikh)