Pandemics are a trying time for everyone. There is widespread confusion and frustration, not to mention boredom. People are trying their best to channel their emotions into something productive, whether it’s baking, starting up a project or even making steady progress through their Netflix recommendations, in the hopes of maintaining a positive frame of mind. Some people succeed. Some don’t. The fear and anger bubble and boil over and result in acts of aggression.
The blame game is easy to play- this entire worldwide quarantine can be traced back to one man in Wuhan, China. This, is what President Donald Trump argues, has earned COVID-19 the synonym of the ‘Chinese virus’. But the moniker has harmful connotations of its own. By calling it the ‘Chinese virus’ you singlehandedly place the burden of the virus on one country. In reality, multiple other ethnicities played a hand in helping the virus spread. But emotions often overpower logic, and people are quick to curse China for condemning them to what they perceive as an intolerable series of events. So blinded by their anger, people do not even stop to realise the staggeringly low probability of an Asian person they pass in the street being infected and from Wuhan. Or perhaps, in an even sadder option, they do realise, but continue with their assault because of what they think they represent. Hate crimes against Asians have become so prevalent, Wikipedia now has a separate page to detail the events. Spanning 6 continents and numerous countries, acts of aggression are spreading as fast as the virus itself. Just last week, Asian Americans reported over 650 racist attacks according to the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council. In America at least, no doubt that radicalised violence may be due to the erroneous comments made by people in positions of power.
But it's not just the United States of America that has an onslaught of racist attacks, and it's not just herd mentality that leads to them happening. Calling it the ‘Chinese virus’ indicates there is someone to blame, and adds even more stress and fear to everyday life for Asians all across the globe. In times of uncertainty and panic, it is crucial to rally together rather than pull up divisions. After all, we are all fighting against the same horror.