Fear of the coronavirus is quickly spreading throughout the United States. The NBA, the NCAA, and college campuses throughout the country are all canceling scheduled games, tournaments, classes, and events. Local counties and school districts are shutting down events and classes at all levels in an attempt to force citizens to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.

Still, our understanding of the virus is lacking. Questions remain about the number of cases in the United States, the rate at which the virus is spreading, and how to best mitigate the spread of COVID-19. By implementing a framework similar to the one South Korea used, on a local level, the United States can prepare its citizens to cope with the likely spread of the virus over the next few weeks.

The South Korean Response

First, South Korea aggressively implemented a testing regime throughout the country. Key to this initiative was making tests free and accessible to the general population. After identifying a central outbreak in the city of Daegu, the South Korean government went on to test all persons who may have come into contact with the virus, whether they showed any symptoms of the virus of not. Aggressive and proactive testing ensured the government knew exactly where and how the virus was spreading throughout the country.

Another aspect of the testing regime is ensuring that tests are quick and easy to access. Drive through testing sites have quickly been popping up throughout the country. At these sites, medical staff lean into the car of an individual to gather samples for testing; those being tested do not leave their car at any point. Results of these tests are available in about 10-minutes. This process minimizes contact with people at the testing facility who may have the virus and ensures cases can be diagnosed rapidly.

Because of these measures, South Korea is able to test over 10,000 people per day and has tested more than 200,000 people over the past few weeks. Meanwhile, the United States has only tested around 10,000 people since February. While testing tens of thousands of people a day may not be necessary in the United States, increasing the ability and access to testing for those who need it can provide better, more up-to-date information about how the virus is spreading throughout the country.

The second critical aspect of South Korea’s response to COVID-19 is transparency. Every day, the Korean Center for Disease Control (KCDC) releases two detailed updates on the virus. In the morning update, the KCDC updates the number of confirmed cases, people tested, and suspicious cases throughout the country. KCDC’s afternoon update breaks down the number of confirmed cases by age, sex, and location—province and city. The second update also includes a list of epidemiological links or places where confirmed cases have originated from.

Meanwhile, the Center for Disease Control in the United States maintains a site with minimal information including the number of confirmed cases, deaths caused by the virus, and an interactive map showing the range of cases in each state. By making a more comprehensive data set available to the population, South Korea ensures that everyone within its borders has a holistic picture of the outbreak and can make more informed decisions to stay safe from the virus.

If the United States rolls out a program with these two pillars, the American population can better prepare for the impact of COVID-19 on our daily lives. By increasing the testing capability—increase the capacity of testing centers and decreasing the wait times—and providing a more holistic image of the outbreak within the United States, Americans can be better informed about the virus and make more informed decisions.

While such a strategy seems draconian and burdensome, it has proven to be beneficial. Despite having the third-highest number of confirmed cases—8,162 as of publication—it maintains a death rate of only .9%; 76 people have died in South Korea as of this writing. Meanwhile, in the United States, 41 people—2% of the total confirmed cases—have died. Implementing a more robust and transparent response can ensure more cases are detected early on and that Americans are provided with as much information about the spread as possible.

There are two main advantages that South Korea has that ease the implementation of such a program at a national level. First is size. South Korea is approximately one-seventh the size of the state of Texas. Second is resources. The Korean government has the ability to quickly and easily inform residents en masse of potential risks of exposure and emerging centers of the outbreak. Such advantages make rolling out national programs and maintaining an informed population relatively easier.

The Challenges Facing the United States

If the United States attempted to roll out such South Korea-inspired programs at a national level, two main issues would hinder the programs. First, the bureaucratic processes needed to operate these programs would be large. Second, the size of the data would make regular reporting difficult and slow. These weaknesses would also limit the adaptability of such programs to meet local needs within each state and even each county.

Therefore, states and local officials need to look at how they report and test for cases of COVID-19 to ensure a more robust response. For example, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in a press conference on Friday, praised the city of San Antonio for working to open a drive-through testing facility and the work of other major cities “to implement drive-through testing sites that will be run and managed at the local level.” He also stated that his office is working to reduce the cost of testing and improve access to medical care. These remarks were made alongside the declaration of a state of disaster which will free up more resources to combat the virus.

While these first steps are crucial, it is also important that states look to provide comprehensive data and information on cases within their borders. Understanding where the virus is spreading, how it is spreading, and which populations are most vulnerable can assist residents in making decisions to better protect themselves and their community from the virus. Local entities, such as counties and cities, may be better equipped to report such measurements than states themselves.

By leveraging the resources of local communities, state governments, and the national government to promote a strong testing regime and the dissemination of timely and complete data on the virus, Americans can be better protected from COVID-19.

Benjamin Zimmer is a Master of International Affairs student at The Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M where he studies East Asian security issues. His interests include South and North Korean politics, inter-Korean relations, and Korean foreign policy. He is the creator and author of The Korea Page: News and Analysis from the Korean Peninsula.