“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.
