It depends on criteria.

For example, USA early vaccination ramp up is second to only United Emirates in the world. Taiwan was late in this particular aspect and quite panicked when some virus broke through quarantine measures (contained by quite heroic contact tracing efforts)

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

Yes, but the US allowed the virus to spread like wildfire before vaccines were available.

Taiwan was slow to begin vaccination, but in the end, that had a relatively minor effect on mortality, because the virus was not allowed to spread in the first place.

Participation trophies are not a thing in Confucian countries.