In Support of China

Yes, the coronavirus is believed to have originated in a live meat market in Wuhan, China. There are many conspiracies being floated all over about this being an escaped manmade virus from a lab or it was intentionally set free. There are numerous YouTube videos about not eating out in the US and/or buying anything from China. One YouTube video compares this virus to the rabies virus. It then goes on to talk about how people take the rabies vaccine after they are tested for rabies and show symptoms. NO! Once you show symptoms of rabies, you are incurable. The rabies virus is tested for in the animal that bit the person. If you cannot find the animal, you take the rabies shots. You cannot wait until symptoms appear. There are some valid concerns in this particular video about shipping and our food sources in general. My point here is that most of these YouTube videos made by individuals are completely unresearched, unsupported by evidence, and dangerous. The reality is, China has done a commendable job in trying to quarantine and prevent the spread of this virus. It’s disturbing to me that so many articles are coming out now that are claiming quarantines are an inhumane act. Quarantines are a medical necessity at times. I understand there was insufficient communication from China, according to WHO and the CDC, when the SARS outbreak occurred. This virus showed up in late December 2019, from what I have read. The governor in Wuhan has offered his resignation because he does not feel he enacted enough measures from the start to prevent the spread of this virus. Realistically, given the unknowns about this new virus and the size of China, I don’t think he did a bad job. He did have to gain authorization from the central government. In the US, I doubt the response time would have been any quicker in dealing with the CDC and local and state governments. I think the response times in China were much quicker than they would have been in many other countries. I think the speed at which the two new hospitals are being built is amazing. China has continued to quarantine areas but has ordered main highways to remain open to disperse food and medical necessities. Are we getting accurate and timely information? For the most part, we probably are getting as good or better information than we would from any other country. I don’t believe the Chinese government has all the answers. They don’t have enough test kits or hospital spaces for the number of sick. They very well might have people in their homes or apartments who have died from this illness and have not yet been discovered or dealt with. They probably are trying to keep panic down both in their own country and throughout the world. The Chinese people themselves are struggling as best they can while their loved ones fall ill and in some cases have died. It’s important to remember that there are Chinese and Asian people throughout the world who are residents of other countries, have not been to China, and have not been exposed to this new virus. Do not let paranoia and panic make you a racist. Illnesses have started and spread from different areas of the world throughout history. We need to all be working together for the containment of this virus and not for our own personal interests. We all need to be supporting China and the Chinese people. There are Chinese people living in other countries with relatives in China they are worried about. We can have compassion without being stupid and ending quarantines. Support the Chinese people throughout the world. China produces the bulk of the vaccines made in the world. They produce vaccines that we don’t want to produce in the US because of costs and safety restrictions. We have all benefited from China’s assuming the risk surrounding vaccine production. We should all be supporting any measures they take or recommend regarding quarantines and travel restrictions. If China denies a plane taking off, we should listen to their reasons. They are trying to prevent people from fleeing a quarantined area and spreading this virus all over the world. They are buying us time to find a working vaccine.