Lessons the World Should Take from the COVID-19 Outbreak By Chen Chen Xinhua, March 11, 2020

All severe COVID-19 Chinese patients discharged from local hospital in Huanggang, March 10, 2020

 

 The sudden strike of the novel coronavirus has demonstrated once again how essential it is for mankind to join hands in the face of tough common challenges in a globalized world.

The outbreak has taught the world three main lessons, among many others. The first is that in this highly connected world, major contagious diseases are a common threat to the human race.

It is now increasingly clear that disease knows neither borders nor ethnicities, and no country or people is immune to an epidemic threat.

Moreover, the fact that the origin of COVID-19 remains unclear shows that on the subject of viruses and plagues, there are still a lot of known unknowns for mankind, and perhaps a lot more unknown unknowns.

Secondly, nations around the world should stay vigilant and be aware that "information virus" and "political virus" always go hand in hand.

Racism, xenophobia, nationalism and isolationism have seen signs of revival during the COVID-19 outbreak, with rumors and prejudice towards certain groups rearing their ugly heads.

Overreactions such as excessive border control and travel bans have not only worsened a chaotic situation but have undermined trust between neighbors and partners, further damaging the foundation for badly needed international cooperation, and producing outcomes far more dangerous than what a virus can.

Last but not least, decoupling is not the way out: cooperation is.

Maintaining public health security is a common challenge faced by humanity, and demands everyone's input. The COVID-19 outbreak has created a wake-up call to the world that countries should enhance international cooperation in public health, as well as in other areas.

To be specific, co-operative scientific research on source tracing, drugs, vaccines and testing should be prioritized to minimize the lethal threat a disease can pose on human beings. Such cooperation should also need to be coordinated at a global level.

The ongoing epidemic has exposed the weaknesses of the existing global health security governance system. Governments around the world should take the COVID-19 contagion as a chance to strengthen the system within the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO), not weaken it.

On Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted, "Let hope be the antidote to fear. Let solidarity be the antidote to blame. Let our shared humanity be the antidote to our shared threat."

If the human race can learn positively from the outbreak, and truly grasp the merits of trust and cooperation, then this raging epidemic is very likely to go down in history as the start of a world coming further together for the common good, not a beginning of an age of grand alienation.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/11/c_138866519.htm

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