To have rationality overwhelm panic in battle against coronavirus
By Zhong Sheng
“This is the
time for facts, not fear. This is the time for science, not rumors. This is the
time for solidarity, not stigma.” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus recently send a strong appeal to the world.
Obviously, to
respect the authoritative suggestions from the WHO and take measures
recommended by the organization to avoid the impacts on regular international
exchanges of personnel and practical cooperation in each field is what
countries should do in the face of the current epidemic.
Whether
countries can evaluate the severity of the epidemic in a just and rational
manner, and inform the public about the low mortality rate and the fact that
the cured cases have outnumbered the deaths to avoid secondary crisis has
become a standard that measures wisdom, rationality and humanity. It’s
foreseeable that it will be much easier for the world to get through the
current difficulty as long as this standard is met by all countries.
However, some
countries ignored the WHO recommendation that there was “no reason for measures
that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade.” Their
overreaction and measures have caused trouble for normal international travel.
Such “exaggerated” measures have triggered panic and are indulging the
emergence of hostility, vicious remarks and evildoings. This has no doubt
signaled an alarm.
Countries are
cautioned against actions that promote stigma or discrimination, in line with
the principles of Article 3 of the International Health Regulation (IHR).
However, some western media, with ulterior motives, called the virus a “yellow
peril made in China”, publicly labeling the Chinese and even Asians. As a
result, some people in western countries even committed violent crimes
targeting Asians. Such ridiculous remarks and practices will do nothing to help
the world combat the coronavirus, but only instigate racism and create panic.
Without doubt,
the mainstream public opinion in the international society still stands with
justice and righteousness. Any prejudice or discriminatory action against China
is now condemned by the power of justice, as the practices and achievements
made by the Chinese people to race against time and combat the epidemic are
touching the world. Many foreigners have denounced the discriminatory remarks,
saying such remarks are stupid and intolerable. With “ImNotVirus” hashtags,
they posted messages on social media saying that the epidemic is not an excuse for
exclusiveness and the crisis shall not overwhelm humanity.
Prime Minister
of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong criticized such remarks, saying "that is
foolish and illogical," and the virus does not check people’s passports
before it goes into their bodies. He stressed that the situation is a public
health emergency and not an issue of race or nationality, and is a problem that
all countries must work together to solve.
Leaders from
Germany, Canada and the Philippines also made voices to stop discrimination. Michael
Levitt, winner of Nobel prize in Chemistry and a scholar of virus research
pointed out that western media broadcast what is happening in China from a
selfishly focused perspective: how to limit the outbreak of illness outside the
country’s borders. How narrow and sad that they never give China a voice or
send words of encouragement and solidarity, he said.
Panic shall
never worse the epidemic, and solidarity to protect lives shall never be
obstructed. It tells from the human history of battles against viruses,
especially today’s world where globalization is developing in a profound manner
that the experiences in and lessons learned from the epidemics of influenza
A/H1N1, MERS, Ebola and Zika all proved that the impacts of public health
issues are beyond borders. “We are all in this together, and we can only stop
it together,” said Tedros in a statement.
Addressing the
challenges facing the world from the novel coronavirus outbreak, UN
Secretary‑General António Guterres urged "a strong feeling of
international solidarity.”
The spirit of
solidarity and cooperation showcased by China in the battle against the
epidemic has won wide respect and support from the international society. China
has quickly spotted, isolated and sequenced the virus, and shared the information
with the world, as well as taken a slew of measures that have much higher
standards than the requirement in the IHR. These forceful measures are hailed
as a good example for epidemic response.
The Chinese people,
particularly in Wuhan and other affected cities in Hubei Province, are
currently bearing the burden, said Michael Schumann, chairman of the German Federal
Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade. They are protecting the
world from an even faster spread through their willingness to make sacrifices
and their commitments, Schumann added, noting that the world will lose more if
it cannot maintain humanity in front of such challenge.
The epidemic is
ruthless, but humans aren’t. To have rationality control panic, to have
sympathy, understanding and support overwhelm prejudices, narrowmindedness and
anxiety, and to show solidarity to cope with the global public health challenge
will lead to the final victory over the epidemic.
(Zhong Sheng is
a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign
policy.)
To have rationality overwhelm panic in battle against coronavirus
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