Last week in Taipei, Taiwan, a mask-wearing man behind the counter at 7/11 thrust a cardboard box towards me, full of folded pieces of red paper. It was a lucky dip rewarding me for buying hand sanitiser, and I won a free coffee.

At times sobering, at times a little cheesy, signs of Taiwan’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic have been ubiquitous since January, when other countries were losing precious time.

People wear face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus as they pray in Taipei, Taiwan. Credit:AP

Garbage trucks have replaced their usual jingle of Beethoven’s Fur Elise with messages cajoling citizens to call a health hotline if they’re feeling ill. Check points at office buildings, night markets, bus stops and schools take the temperature of those entering and spray their hands with alcohol. Buses and taxis have clipboards showing how many times they have been disinfected that day, and elevator buttons are covered with plastic film that is regularly replaced.

Before the World Health Organisation confirmed human-to-human transmission on January 20, it seemed over-the-top that so many people on the street were wearing masks. But for the island of 23 million people, early intervention and a well-oiled command structure have so far fended off the tragedy other countries are beginning to see.