Nobody alive has ever experienced a global pandemic so highly contagious, deadly and intractable as COVID-19 currently raging through the world. The lethal virus has now crept onto every continent except Antarctica, having infected over 1.3 million people and killed more than 60,000 outside of China.
In worst-hit Europe and America, medical systems are overwhelmed and death rates are rising. A crippling shortage of equipment like ventilators is leading to more deaths.
Yet the worst situation is still in the pipeline. The pandemic is still in its early phases in more countries and regions, many of which are underdeveloped and backwards. Massive infections and a high death toll will cause disastrous consequences there.
Undoubtedly, the world will suffer even larger and more sustainable losses unless all countries join hands to combat the plague. In this sense, the fight against the pandemic is a global battle to defend the shared future of mankind.
The reason why the transmission of the new coronavirus is so vast and fast and the casualties are so heavy is because man has little knowledge of the virus and there has been a general lack of precaution for the outbreak in most countries.
Signs of a possible infectious disease in Wuhan in early January were neglected, which led to rapid deterioration. The speed and scope of the transmission was beyond any expectation.
Luckily, China remedied its initial slow response by eventually implementing efficient and effective measures to put out the wildfire of the epidemic.
With unprecedented efforts, China has the epidemic under control now.
If it is understandable that China, as the first victim of the COVID-19 outbreak, underestimated the threat of the deadly virus due to a lack of knowledge about the virus, then it is unforgivable for other countries to squander the precious time China bought them for getting ready to tackle the virus that invaded Europe and the U.S. one month or so after it hit China.
China has spared no efforts to share every single piece of information about the virus with WHO and the international community. WHO has repeatedly praised China’s extraordinary performance in curbing the epidemic and its fast, transparent and open disclosure of the information related to the pandemic.
Yet there is some irresponsible rhetoric around the world blaming the pandemic on China. Some called the virus “Chinese virus” or “Wuhan virus.” Some others even speculated on China’s motive to offer aid to affected countries.
All these irresponsible moves are in no one’s best interest and will hamper the global efforts to defeat the pandemic.
The tracing of the source of the virus requires scientific research instead of airing speculation and conspiracy theories. More and more clues are showing that the virus seems to have been around long before it hit Wuhan and it might have spread in many spots around the world simultaneously.
Anyone attempting to throw blame on others will only bring disgrace on themselves.
The most pressing task confronting world leaders is to work together to win the battle against the pandemic. International cooperation is urgent and crucial in many areas: vaccine development, production and supply of medical equipment and protective gear, etc.
China is doing all it can to help other countries in need, for it is the Chinese belief that doing good is as natural as breathing air.
(The author is an English tutor and freelance writer.)